A MAN who shot his wife with an air rifle after a row over a shepherd's pie is planning his appeal against his conviction for attempted murder.

Simon Lee, of Horwich, was jailed for nine years for shooting his wife, Caron.

During the case at Preston High Court, Mr Lee said the shooting was a moment of madness caused by organophosphates -- chemicals which were used in sheepdip when he worked as an agricultural pest controller. But Judge Mr Justice Levesen dismissed his evidence.

Mr Lee, aged 45, who is serving his sentence at Garth Prison, Leyland, has been campaigning against the use of organophosphates since his imprisonment two years ago.

He says the chemicals, as well as being responsible for his behaviour at the time of the offence, have caused the deaths of hundreds of farmers through suicide.

And now a doctor from Taunton, Somerset, has assessed Mr Lee and concluded that he has "suffered significant damage from organophosphates" and can officially start his appeal.

In a letter to the Bolton Evening News, Mr Lee said: "It's taken a long time but I have finally got my diagnosis. Crayfish being poisoned by sheep dip get more primetime news than farmers who may have suffered death because of it.

"It was the Government who forced farmers to use organophosphates to dip sheep but it is okay for the Government to poison, or so it seems."

Campaigner Brenda Sutcliffe said: "This is great news for Simon in terms of him being proved right. I was delighted when he wrote to me.

"We have been campaigning against the widespread use of these chemicals because they are dangerous."

Mr Lee, born and brought up in Horwich, was found guilty of attempting to murder his wife, Caron, aged 40.

Jurors were told he "snapped" after she told him there was no mince to make shepherd's pie for tea -- then attacked her with a table leg before shooting her in the back of the head as she lay dazed on the floor.

Lee then re-loaded the airgun and shot her again at close range, the court was told.

His earliest release date is 2006.

Mrs Sutcliffe has produced a leaflet about organophosphates titled Cause and Effect. If you would like a leaflet, contact her at Sheep Bank Farm, Littleborough, Lancashire, OL15 0LH.