The mother of a Royal Marine who was shot dead by friendly fire during a dramatic assault on a Taliban stronghold branded the verdict at the inquest into her son's death as “disgusting”.

Brave Lance Corporal Mathew Ford, 30, from Immingham, Lincs, died on January 15, 2007 from gun shot wounds to his head and chest when the company he was with tried to assault a Taliban Fort.

The operation to recover his body made headlines at the time after the Marine's colleagues strapped themselves to the outside of two helicopters to perform a daring rescue mission.

Concluding the two day inquest, Coroner Paul Kelly gave a narrative verdict and said: “I conclude that L/Cpl Ford died from injuries he sustained whilst on active service.”

Speaking outside Cleethorpes Town Hall, Lincs., his heartbroken mother Joan Ford, 49, said: “That verdict had nothing to do with my son's death. From the day he died I still don't know what happened.

She added: “What went on in there was rubbish, total rubbish. I'm disgusted. We deserve the truth.”