FAMILIES of 10 servicemen killed when their RAF Hercules transport aircraft crashed in Iraq handed a petition to No 10 yesterday asking the Government to improve safety.

The downing of the Hercules C130K 30km north-west of Baghdad on January 30, 2005, was the biggest single loss of British life in Iraq since the invasion began in 2003.

Eight of those who died were based at RAF Lyneham, in north Wiltshire.

Relatives of those killed have questioned whether the crash could have been prevented if explosive-suppressant foam devices had been fitted to the aircraft's fuel tanks.

The Hercules was brought down by gunfire when a partly empty fuel tank was hit and exploded.

A group of family members presented a petition of 2,982 signatures, demanding the entire fleet of Hercules, based at Lyneham, be fitted with explosive suppressant foam (ESF).

Leading the group was Sarah Chapman, from Cambridge, whose brother, Sergeant Bob O'Connor, 38, was killed in the crash. Ms Chapman said the names on the petition include serving members of the armed forces, families of the crew members, retired air marshals, members of the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Department of Australia, author Frederick Forsyth and actor Martin Shaw.

"We are looking for the Government to act upon the level of support that is demonstrated, she said.

It's time now that they get to see the amount of people that are calling for it.

"They need to prioritise and sort their funding to ensure there is funding for all of the Hercules"

Ms Chapman said she was disappointed and angry that the victims' relatives had been forced to take the step to try to get the problem addressed.

"Surely the loss of ten fine men and an aircraft would have woken them up and stirred them into action,'' she said.

Ms Chapman said regardless of the outcome of the petition, the families would fight on.

"This isn't the end of the campaign, it will be followed through," she said.