A FORMER haemophiliac, who nearly died after being given contaminated blood, has vowed to continue his fight against the Government for justice and compensation.

David Fielding, aged 45, of Farnworth, contracted two strains of hepatitis C through injections of an NHS-supplied blood clotting agent.

But he is still waiting for compensation for the mistake, although the Government are expected to announce a push to tackle the disease among drug users this autumn.

Mr Fielding, whose brother died from AIDS infected through contaminated blood, was himself only hours from death when a liver transplant cured his haemophilia and saved his life.

He has welcomed moves by the health secretary Lord Owen for the government to tackle the drug related side of the illness.

But he said more was needed to address the issue of people like him who were infected through contaminated blood.

It comes after years of battling and campaigning by Mr Fielding and Dr Brian Iddon, MP for Bolton South East, for haemophiliacs to be given "justice."

Mr Fielding still bombards the health offices at Whitehall with letters of disgust at how haemophiliacs, including his own brother, are being ignored.

He said: "A lot of my close friends have died though contracting either HIV or hepatitis C.

"Now I am worried for my great-nephew who is only eight years old and who has the disease.

"There seems to be an international shortage of genetic material and he may have to go back onto the old-fashioned blood clotting agent which may be open to risks of viruses."

Mr Fielding claims the contaminated blood, given in the 1970's and 1980's, was taken from American prisoners and even drained from corpses in Russia.

He says nearly 1,000 people in Britain have died from these deadly batches and have lived with the stigma of having HIV, AIDS or hepatitis C.

Mr Fielding said: "I still write letters to the government even though I am not a haemophiliac any more.

"I will not abandon them. I now fight even harder for the justice that they should have. I also want recompense for myself."

Although it has been known to affect females, haemophilia is mainly a male blood-clotting disorder.

In Bolton, there are 11 adults and six children with the disease.

Mr Fielding, who had his liver operation in Leeds in 1998, continues to struggle to find work.

Dr Brian Iddon is supportingthe local man's fight and feels confident that the government will finally give in and compensate.

Dr Iddon said that he has already tabled three 90 minute adjournment debates in parliament over the matter and the issue will continue to be high on his political agenda in the autumn.

Dr Iddon said: "I have been actively involved with Mr Fielding for the past four years.

" Hepatitis C in this country is now endemic and the argument of drug misuse is getting mixed up with the completely different argument of the haemophiliacs.

"I think that is why the government is getting nervous about compensation.

"But I have been arguing that this is different for a long time. The government says that they were not aware that there was contamination, so can not be held liable. We say that this is not good enough. We are continuing the all-party pressure." Mr Fielding also continues to push for a public inquiry into the infection of the haemophilia community. He added: "CJD victims have been given compensation by the government, it's about time the haemophiliacs got recompense instead of being brushed under the carpet."