A former RAF officer has called for a Government investigation into Gulf War Syndrome which he says has ruined his life - despite not seeing action in the 1991 war.

David Bratley, of West Hanney, is convinced 17 injections he had over 17 days before he was due to be deployed is the cause of 19 years of chronic health problems.

Mr Bratley, 60, said: "I'm calling for a proper inquiry into these injections and a proper investigation by the British Government into the disease.

"The injections made me ill and then it snowballed from there. And I know there are other people in the same position as me.

"The Government has never offered me any treatment. They do not look after people, they just use and abuse."

Thousands of war veterans say they are suffering Gulf War Syndrome, which they say has left them a life-time of fatigue, rashes and sleeping problems since they returned from combat. The Government is adamant the injections did not cause a problem.

Mr Bratley, a self-employed photographer, was diagnosed with a series of symptoms experienced by troops who served in the Middle East. But he said: "I'm certain, absolutely certain it was the injections. I haven't been right since. At the time they said I would feel ill over the weekend.

"I think that was a bit of an understatement. It was too much for the immune system to take.

All of them together and they just blew a fuse."

The father-of-three did not serve in the Gulf after military chiefs decided not to deploy more troops. He was vaccinated against diseases like tetanus, diphtheria, polio and meningitis.

Mr Bratley said he became ill immediately and his symptoms have remained the same since. He added: "I can't lead a normal life and I can't do a full time job. I'm tired all the time. I need to sleep a lot, probably about 12 hours a day, but I don't wake up feeling refreshed."

US research suggests health problems suffered by Gulf War veterans may be due to pesticide exposure and nerve agents, and Mr Bratley did not deny these could be factors.

Only three of his injections are recorded by the MoD, and Mr Bratley is convinced the Government has something to hide.

MoD spokesman Paul Leat said "overwhelming evidence" from their research showed the inoculations had no adverse health effects.