A Birmingham Coroner has delayed a decision on whether or not to re-open the inquest into the Birmingham pub bombings until she gets further evidence from the West Midlands Police.

Coroner Louise Hunt said she would need to investigate allegations that an IRA informant had told West Midlands Police of the bombings in advance of the atrocity.

IRA bombs went off in two pubs in the city centre in November 1974 killing 21 people and injuring 180.

She had been due to rule later this month, but has now sought a large volume of material from West Midlands Police and says she will not now rule until April at the earliest.

A provisional decision date has been set by the coroner for 6 April.

Counsel representing three families whose loved ones were killed in the 1974 bombings told the court here was a suspicion among the relatives that police officers had lied in order to get the conviction of the Birmingham Six for the crime.

The six men served over 16 years in prison before their convictions were overturned and they were released in 1991.

Speaking outside the court after today's hearing Julie Hambleton, whose sister Maxine died in the blasts, thanked the coroner for taking time and care with the case.

Earlier, the hearing was told the investigation into the event is not closed.

An inquest into the bomb blasts was opened in 1975 but adjourned because the case was the subject of a criminal investigation.

The adjourned inquest was never resumed.

No one has subsequently been charged in relation to the event.

Asked about reports in the media in recent weeks that there are continuing investigations into the bombings, counsel representing the WMP said that in April 2014 the West Midlands Chief Constable said "it's always possible that brand new and significant information could become available to us.

"Let me be clear this case is not closed".

Julie Hambleton of @Justice4the21 speaks to the media ahead of Birmingham hearings. Calls today 'momentous' pic.twitter.com/zuzNfEkOP6 — Fiona Mitchell (@mitchefi) February 10, 2016

Jeremy Johnson QC repeated that assertion saying the investigation is not closed. He said there is a complete willingness and desire to pursue any lines that might lead to the identification, prosecution and conviction of those responsible.

But he said there is not an open, live, full scale investigation in the way people would normally understand.

Rather, when new matters come to light, they are reviewed with regard to whether there should be a full scale investigation.

He cited three areas which have been investigated since 2014 - firstly the publication of a book by Kieran Conway called Southside Provisional, secondly an account given by a member of the fire services and thirdly the possibility of forensic evidence.

Mr Johnson said the army had been asked for help in relation to the forensic evidence inquiry.

Paddy Hill, one of the Birmingham Six, who has supported the campaign to re-open the inquests was at the Coroner's Court this morning.

Solicitor Kevin Winters who represents the campaign group Justice4the21, which has sought an inquest said it had taken almost 20 years for the Birmingham Six to get justice for their wrongful conviction, and it had taken 40 years for the families of those killed in the bombings to get any justice, which they hoped would come from this hearing.