A PRISONER is mounting a campaign to highlight the dangers of a chemical in sheep dip which he claims caused him to shoot his wife.

Simon Lee, of Horwich, was jailed for nine years in July last year after he shot his wife with an air rifle at close range over a row about shepherds pie.

His main defence in court was he had suffered from organophosphate poisoning, caused through being in contact with sheep dip in his job as an agricultural pest controller.

Judge Mr Justice Leveson dismissed his evidence at Preston's High Court.

Mr Lee, aged 43, is serving his sentence in Garth prison, Leyland, and is hoping to prove that OPs were responsible for his behaviour at the time of the offence as well as for the deaths of hundreds of farmers through suicide.

He is currently trying to mount an appeal against his conviction due to diminished responsibility.

In a letter to the Bolton Evening News, Mr Lee said: "This chemical is sprayed over our food, animals and even our own children's heads for the control of headlice. These nerve agents are responsible for the deaths and suicides of farmers and Gulf War vets."

He said the toxin could be bought from pet shops throughout Bolton for about £5 a bottle, yet farmers need a licence to use it for sheep dip.

Mr Lee's sister Nancy Wilson said: "He's very passionate about letting people know how prevalent these chemicals are. We were really amazed that the judge dismissed it in his case because he is not an expert and no experts were called. Simon is trying to get an appeal and make the Government acknowledge the fact it is being used without any regard for public health."

Brenda Sutcliffe, a sheep farmer, is a passionate campaigner against the use of OPs and is helping the Bolton man. She has carried out countless experiments and has written hundreds of reports about the issue, which have always been backed up with published scientific research.

She is even preparing to go to Brussels over the matter because she says the chemicals attack the central nervous system.

She said: "I'm trying to help Simon by getting a doctor into the prison. There are many people in Simon's position, either in jail or psychiatric hospitals, who have been affected by these chemicals."

A spokesman from the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "The Government takes the issue of possible risks to human health from exposure to OPs very seriously."

He said the Goverment had been pro-active by sponsoring research into alternative treatments in animals where OPs are currently used, as well as investing 1.4 million into a research programme.