THE wife of an ex-soldier who has experienced mental health problems has launched a petition to ensure veterans’ suicides are accurately recorded by UK courts.

Stonesfield resident Kate England, 39, has already gathered more than 3,500 signatures on the parliament petition website as part of her campaign to raise awareness about the problems faced by members of the armed forces.

Currently, coroners are not required to record whether a case of suicide involves a veteran or not, leaving campaigners no way of knowing the extent of the problem.

Fears have been raised that those who fought in recent bloody conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan are at an increased risk of suicide due to problems including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

When asked by the Yorkshire Post newspaper last month, only one of 98 coroners courts in England, Scotland and Wales was able to provide data on veteran suicides with 25 stating they do not keep such information.

The House of Commons’ Defence Committee has also raised concerns about the lack of data and said in a report that without it, it was impossible to know where there may be specific groups that need to be ‘monitored more closely.’

Mrs England said: “We’re not saying this is going to solve the problem, but it is a way of collecting the data and building up an accurate picture so we can get a much better idea of what is going on.

“Currently, we know this is a major issue that so many families are facing but we don’t know the extent of it.

“There are lots of deaths going unpublicised and there is no way of knowing the background behind every one.

“Recording veteran suicides is something that happens in the United States and many other countries but again we are lagging behind in getting to grips with these issues.

“All is required is coroners being told to make a note on a death certificate – it won’t cost money or take up a lot of time but could make a big difference.”

Mrs England’s husband James served in Bosnia and Iraq with the Queen’s Dragoon Guards until 2007.

He developed PTSD after an accident and suffered from anxiety, depression and alcoholism before being sectioned for attempting to smash up the family home.

After he attempted to kill himself on two separate occasions, Mrs England began a campaign calling for families to be given more counselling and support as they care for their relatives in need.

If the petition gathers 10,000 signatures it will require a response from the government.

To find the petition search for 'veteran suicides' at petition.parliament.uk