THE Stourbridge family of one of the Birmingham pub bombing victims said they were left disappointed after a meeting this week with the Home Secretary.

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.

‘The Birmingham Six’ were arrested within hours of the blast, but maintained their innocence, and after 16 years in prison and a lengthy campaign their convictions were overturned by the Court of Appeal in 1991.

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

Nine of the 21 families, including Paul and his wife Soraya, met with Home Secretary Amber Rudd on Monday (September 5) in a bid to secure legal funding to help fight their case in court, but they were left disappointed with the meeting’s outcome.

Paul, a 53-year-old rigging manager from Lye, said: “Given the amount of effort going into arranging the meeting, I am personally disappointed that we didn’t get a more positive outlook regarding the investigation.

“In communications we had previously with the Home Office they had assured myself and the rest of the families that they were looking into it and were making it a priority.

“But there was certainly not enough communication to make a decision there and then and they told us they will make a decision by the end of the month, but hopefully sooner.

“At least we now have an open line of communication between our legal team and the Home Office.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Home Secretary met relatives of victims of the tragic 1974 Birmingham pub bombing. The meeting was private and was to enable the Home Secretary to hear from the families directly.

“A decision about funding legal costs will be announced in due course.”

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

The families’ legal representatives have so far been working for free, but Paul said funding is urgently needed for their upcoming legal bid.

He added: “Up until now our legal team have acted for us pro bono and they have done incredible work to get the inquest reopened. Without them we would not have got that.

“However there is a huge lot of paperwork for them to go through.

“Julie Hambleton and Paul Bridgewater (lead campaigners) are both great inspirations to us and they have done so much in keeping us all going and sticking together.

“Our fathers were friends and knew each other, and by going through this their families are now friends.”