A FATHER who almost died after being given contaminated blood products is demanding the Government halts imports of the treatment after it was revealed 18 British soldiers could have been infected with a number of deadly illnesses.

British soldiers who have been seriously wounded in Iraq or Afghanistan were given blood sourced in America rather than the UK as part of their emergency treatment, the Ministry of Defence has revealed.

It has been reported that the blood might not have been properly screened and could be contaminated with infections such as HIV, syphilis or hepatitis.

The MoD is now contacting all troops involved to inform them of the risk of infection.

David Fielding, aged 51, of Darley Avenue in Farnworth, contracted Hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood products.

He was diagnosed in 1998 and was told he had six months to live unless a liver transplant was found, which he was given when he was just days away from death.

An independent inquiry is being carried out into the deaths of 1,757 heamophiliacs as a result of exposure to HIV and Hepatitis C as a result of contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

Mr Fielding said: "I'm shocked by this, but not surprised. I can't believe they haven't heard any lessons from what happened in the past. The Government must now stop importing blood and make sure everything they have is properly screened."