LAWYERS for 14 Iraqi families lodged papers at the High Court today as they began a legal battle for compensation following the deaths of loved ones allegedly killed by British soldiers.

They laid down their case - one which includes alleged offences involving soldiers from the Queen's Lancashire Regiment - as the row over the alleged torture pictures involving officers from the beleaguered county division continued to rumble.

Both cases are currently being investigated by military police - but MPs in Lancashire have spoken out about the authenticity of the pictures which made the headlines over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has said Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan should come to Westminster to defend his publication of the photographs of supposed torture of Iraqi prisoners by local troops.

He said: "There are serious questions that need answering here.

"Piers Morgan has a responsibility to help investigations as much as possible. He has shown reticence in defending the photographs in television or print interviews, instead leaving the job to spokesmen and this only serves to raise more questions about their authenticity.

"The charges that his paper makes are incredibly serious and discredit the Queen's Lancashire Regiment, without any suitable investigation beforehand. There are obvious questions over their authenticity, and this print and be damned policy will endanger the lives of many selfless British troops in Iraq whether the allegations are true or not.

"I hope Mr Morgan will have the decency to speak to the MPs on the defence committee and will assist the Royal Military Police in their thorough investigations, including whether payment was made for the photographs.

"If these pictures are proved to be fake, then I also hope that he will resign - putting newspaper circulation over the lives of our courageous armed forces is contemptible."