The conclusions into the death of Dr David Kelly from a government sanctioned report are flawed and represent attempts to cover up the truth, a group of 13 doctors has claimed.

The group of campaigning doctors said the Hutton inquiry's finding that Dr Kelly, a weapons expert uncovered as the source of a contentious BBC story, committed suicide was impossible.

Dr Kelly was found dead six years ago in woods near his home in Oxfordshire when it was revealed he had told BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan that the government "probably knew" the claim that Iraq could attack with weapons of mass destruction in 45 minutes was not true.

At the request of then prime minister Tony Blair, lord chancellor Lord Falconer suspended an inquest into his death, instead ordering the Hutton inquiry to investigate the circumstances surrounding it.

The group of 13 doctors, who plan to submit their evidence to the imminent inquiry into the Iraq war from Sir John Chilcot, are considering legal action to challenge the decision and force an inquest to be carried out.

David Halpin, a retired consultant in orthopaedic and trauma surgery, said the conclusions in Lord Hutton's report were "flawed".

The inquiry found that Dr Kelly died from blood loss after slashing his wrist with a blunt gardening knife. But Dr Halpin said it was "highly unlikely" the wound could have caused enough bleeding to kill the 59-year-old.

Dr Halpin explained that Dr Kelly was a "very prominent germ and chemical warfare expert" with "knowledge of the biology of death".

"He knew everything about killing things," he said.

"So to take what was said to be a blunt knife and what was alleged to be his wife's co-proxamol tablets to try to kill himself is extraordinary.

"I think it's highly likely he was assassinated."
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