AN inquest into the death of a scientist who died following a top-secret explosives test has decided he died as a result of an accident at work.

MoD researcher Terry Jupp, 46, suffered between 60 and 90 per cent burns when a 10kg of mix of chemicals ignited during an experiment at Foulness Island in Essex in August 2002.

Mr Jupp, from Hatfield, subsequently died in hospital six days after the explosion.

At the time of his death, he was working for the MoD’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

After a delay of eight years, an inquest into his death finally began in Southend, Essex, last month.

The proceedings, much of which were held behind closed doors in the interests of national security, culminated with the jury announcing its verdict last week.

Speaking after the hearing, his widow Pat revealed that some of the evidence she’d had to listen to during the inquest had been “extremely harrowing”.

She said: “The MoD have lost a highly experienced, loyal, dedicated scientist.

“I feel very proud of the knowledge that he helped to save thousands of lives doing the research work that he carried out.”

Dr Frances Saunders, the chief executive of Dstl, extended her sympathies to Mr Jupp’s family and said she was thankful that the inquest had now concluded.

She said: “Terry Jupp was carrying out work of national importance, helping to protect the UK, its Armed Forces and its people and I want to acknowledge publicly his contribution to this vital research.

“Some of the work that Dstl does is, by its very nature, extremely hazardous, but we aim to take every step we can to control and minimise the risks – clearly in this case the measures in place at the time did not safeguard Mr Jupp.

“We take the health and safety of our employees and the public very seriously, and since Mr Jupp’s tragic death we have done everything we can to prevent such an incident happening again.”