A farmer believes his son committed suicide after sheep dip chemicals left him with depression.

Relatives of James Moore, above, believe sheep dip chemicals caused the depression which led him to hang himself

David Moore, 65, wants to raise awareness about the possible dangers of organophosphates (OPs) after 33-year-old James hanged himself from the rafters of a barn.

At an inquest, Oxfordshire coroner Nicholas Gardiner said it was possible the pesticide chemicals -- used to prevent flocks getting sheep scab -- had caused the mental illness that led to Mr Moore's death.

The shepherd, of Sunnyside, Barford St John, near Banbury, had been treated with anti-depressants for mild depression since January 1998.

Despite regular visits to the Health Centre, Deddington, he took his own life on Christmas Eve 2002, at Woodenhill Farm, in Barford Road, Bloxham, where he leased land for his sheep.

His girlfriend Lisa Jelfs, of Robins Close, Barford St Michael, said: "Every time he was depressed, he tried to think up a reason why he was depressed, and each time came up with a different reason. There didn't seem to be a continuous reason."

She last saw him the day after they returned from a holiday in New Zealand, when he left the house at 7am to go to work.

Farmer John Scarr found Mr Moore's body later that day hanging 20ft from the ground.

Mr Gardiner recorded a verdict that he took his own life.

He said: "I know the family has concerns about the effects of OPs, but this is something the experts are still unsure about.

"It's a possibility, but it doesn't affect the verdict I've given."

After the hearing, David Moore, of Heath Cottage Farm, Middle Barton, said: "We never thought about OPs as the cause of his depression before his death and I'll feel guilty for the rest of my life.

"I still find it difficult to believe that we didn't realise it at the time. Maybe we could have reduced his exposure to these chemicals."

Mr Moore said his son worked for the family sheep contractor business from an early age and was constantly exposed to OPs.

His sister, Jane Connor, said: "We're worried about the possible links between the use of OPs and the mental health problems in people who have regular contact with them.

"We're aware that there is no published scientific evidence of these links. However, there have been a number of cases among farmers who suffer depression and suicidal tendencies.

"There's nothing we can do to bring James back, but the thing now is to try to increase awareness so other families don't go through what we've been through."

A spokesman for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), said the Government was studying the effects of OPs and had already spent £1.4m on research on the issue.

Defra was spending another £1.75m into alternative treatments for sheep scab, he added.