Shropshire Star

Veteran Gus Hales resumes hunger strike in Newport after hospital admission

Gus Hales has resumed his hunger strike in Newport after being taken by ambulance to hospital.

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Gus Hales

The Falklands veteran, 62, was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford after he woke on Friday morning feeling light-headed and nauseous.

Concerned supporters, who had stayed in their cars nearby overnight, called for help, and paramedics advised he go in for tests at the hospital's accident and emergency department.

Mr Hales was discharged hours later, dehydrated but with no other serious medical issues, and immediately made his way back to the Combat Stress premises in Newport to carry on his protest over the treatment of veterans with PTSD.

"I am determined to continue," he said.

"More and more people are coming forward telling their stories and it is becoming more of a horror story.

"I will carry on until I feel like there is no point any longer, and I don't think we have reached that point yet.

"I don't want to put a deadline on when I will stop. I am seriously committed to this."

Mr Hales stood down from his two-week protest on Remembrance Sunday, but despite an apology from Combat Stress for the way he was discharged, and a pledge to review other cases of veterans who had suffered from the same treatment, he said he would continue his campaign until he had a concrete promise of government action.

Calls for an independent inquiry have been backed by politicians including Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard, but Mr Hales said he would continue the hunger strike until one was announced.