FOUR pensioners, including one from Kent, have won their unprecedented High Court action over the collapse of their final salary pension schemes.

Andrew Parr, 61, from Seaside Avenue, Minster, near Sheerness, Henry Bradley, Robin Duncan, and Thomas Waugh are among tens of thousands of victims of the collapses up and down the country.

Mr Parr was employed at Sheerness as a steelworker by Allied Steel and Wire for 20 years before being made redundant in December 2002.

The legal action was brought to force the Government to accept a ruling by the parliamentary ombudsman.

Parliamentary ombudsman Ann Abraham had issued a public rebuke to the Government.

She said it had misled the public over the safety of the occupational schemes, was guilty of maladministration and should consider compensating the victims.

It has been claimed that the claims could amount to £15bn over the next 60 years.

But the applicants say the true figure is £3.7bn at most to be spread over 60 years, with a peak cost, in net present value terms, of £100m a year.

Mr Parr, one of the leading campaigners, said: "We may have won at the High Court this morning but the Government has now applied for leave to appeal so this all could drag on for another year.

"It will go to the Court of Appeal and if they lose there then they could still appeal to the House of Lords. At this rate we could all be dead by the time a final settlement is agreed.

"The Ombudsman, European Court and the High Court all found in our favour but still the Government wants to drag this out."

Sheppey and Sittingbourne MP Derek Wyatt was told the news this morning by the Kent Messenger Group.

He said: "That's fantastic and stunning - well worth the five year fight. It has been long overdue and it has always been a moral issue. I deeply regret that we were forced by the Government to take this action."