A FORMER senior firefighter is still battling to clear his name two years after being asked to leave the fire service.

Sub-Officer Malcolm Pye was given three months to leave the service after being found guilty of "corrupt and improper practice" at a brigade tribunal in August 2000.

It was alleged he made a bogus 999 call so he could claim a callout allowance while working at Horwich fire station.

Mr Pye has since lost an appeal against the tribunal decision and a year ago the Fire Brigade Union appealed to the Home Office, calling for him to be re-instated.

Today, while still awaiting a response from the Home Office, Mr Pye called for a public inquiry into his case.

Mr Pye, aged 43, who was in the fire service for 15 years, said: "Last August I was guaranteed a Government decision within 10 weeks. But a year on I am still waiting. I have never been given a reason why it is taking so long."

More than a year ago 3,000 individual postcards were sent to the Government department from members of the public, supporting Mr Pye.

Now he is considering launching another postcard campaign, this time calling for a public inquiry.

Mr Pye, who worked as a part-time firefighter and now works full time as a maintenance engineer, said: "I am not going to stop fighting. I am not going to go away."

He is determined to take his case to an employment tribunal if he does not get the decision he wants from the Government.

Bob Pounder, secretary of the Greater Manchester Fire Brigade Union, said: "There are a lot of questions that remain unanswered. I still believe Malcolm Pye is a victim and has been used as a scapegoat."