AN inquest into the deaths of ten servicemen, including one from Hampshire, who died when an RAF Hercules crashed in Iraq is to be halted, a coroner announced today.

Wiltshire Coroner David Masters said it was not possible to get through all the witnesses in the three weeks which had initially been allotted for the hearing in Trowbridge.

The inquest, which started on March 31, will be adjourned after this Friday until September 30, the coroner said. Another three weeks has been set aside in October to complete the inquest.

Mr Masters, in a formal statement to the court, said: ''The period of the adjournment is a source of regret to us all but I can say that my decision is fully supported by all counsel here and all the interested parties and, indeed, has unanimous approval.'' Availability problems with lawyers, witnesses and interested parties led to today's decision.

The hearing has heard how small arms fire pierced one of the C130k Hercules' fuel tanks, which exploded, blowing off a wing, on January 30 2005.

Acting L/Cpl Steven Jones, 25, of Fareham, a Royal Signals soldier, was part of the crew.

Eight other victims, all based at RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, were: RAF 47 Squadron's Flt Lt David Stead, the pilot, 35; Flt Lt Andrew Smith, 25, the co-pilot; Master Engineer Gary Nicholson, 42; Flt Sgt Mark Gibson, 34, Australian airman Flt Lt Paul Pardoel, 35, a navigator; and from Lyneham's Engineering Wing, Chief Technician Richard Brown, 40, an avionics specialist; Sergeant Robert O'Connor, 38, an engineering technician; and Corporal David Williams, 37, a survival equipment fitter, a passenger.

Sqn Ldr Patrick Marshall, 39, from Strike Command Headquarters, RAF High Wycombe, was another passenger on the Hercules.