STOURBRIDGE relatives of one of the Birmingham pub bombing victims remain hopeful of securing financial support for their legal campaign despite a disappointing Government set back this week.

Paul Rowlands’ father John was one of 21 people killed in the double IRA blasts at the Mulberry Bush and Tavern In The Town pubs on November 21, 1974.

Mr Rowlands, and his wife Soraya, are among nine families campaigning for a special funding model to help pay their legal costs at a reopened inquest into the deaths, as their lawyers have been working pro bono to date.

After meeting with Home Secretary Amber Rudd earlier this month, the families were optimistic of establishing a fund similar to that created for the families represented at the Hillsborough stadium disaster inquests but on Monday (September 26) Ms Rudd turned down the request.

However, the Minister said she still supports their application for legal aid funding through the conventional route of the independent Legal Aid Agency (LAA).

Paul, from Lye, who was just 11-years-old when his father was killed, told the News: “It is obviously disappointing that we have not had the same support in regards to the families of the Hillsborough disaster, but we have to look at the positives.

“The Home Secretary has said she would support our application to gain similar support to that which the relatives of those who died in the 7/7 bombings in London received.

“I would like to get confirmation of this within the next couple of days, as the sooner we can get financial support the sooner we can all get together with our whole legal team.”

The Home Office said Ms Rudd has written to Justice Secretary Liz Truss, whose department funds the LAA, as she feels there is a “strong case” for the families to be granted legal aid.

A Home Office spokesman said: “It is right that the families bereaved by the Birmingham pub bombings are represented at the forthcoming inquests, and legal aid exceptional funding will enable this. However, it is of course for the Legal Aid Agency to approve legal aid applications.

“The Home Secretary met several of the families to discuss funding for their representation and believes there is a strong case for the families to be granted legal aid, as was the case for the 7/7 London bombings.”

Within hours of the blast which killed John Rowlands, ‘The Birmingham Six’ were arrested, and after 16 years in prison and a lengthy campaign maintaining their innocence, their convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal in 1991.

In June this year, the senior coroner for Birmingham and Solihull decided fresh inquests should take place into the deadly blasts, Britain’s worst terrorist attack until the 7/7 London bombings.

A pre-inquest review into the bombings is due to be held on November 28, but a full inquest is not expected to get underway until next year.

The families are also set to lobby Conservative politicians on the issue when the party's conference take place in Birmingham next week.