PEOPLE in East Lancashire who have suffered depression or had family members commit suicide have criticised the controversial drug Seroxat.

We told the story last week of Blackburn man Marban Ahmed's pledge to take legal action against manufacturers GlaxoSmithKline. His wife committed suicide while taking the drug.

Other families have been in touch to tell us of their plight. Rishton man Joseph Cawley, 61, who has been on Seroxat for nine years, said: "After what Seroxat has done to me, nobody should be taking it."

Mr Cawley, a retired council worker of Peter's Row, Holt Street, suffered from depression when he left work at Blackburn Council with ill health. He started taking the drug in 1994. Since then, he says, he often dreams of suicide.

Mr Cawley attempted to commit suicide in 1995 by cutting his wrists with glass. He said: "I have mood swings and thoughts of suicide. I think about going to the loft, putting a rope up and hanging myself." Mr Cawley has contacted Welsh law firm Hugh James, who said they were preparing a letter of claim to GlaxoSmithKline after being contacted by thousands of Seroxat-users.

Mr Ahmed, 34, of Longton Close, Audley, Blackburn, is also one of 4,500 people in the UK who have contacted the law firm.

A GlaxoSmithKline spokesman said that there was no compelling evidence to link Seroxat to an increased risk of suicide.

Linda Nicol's husband, John Thompson committed suicide in 1986 in their Accrington home.

Mrs Nicol, 53, of Turkey Street, said he had been prescribed Seroxat three days previously.

She said: "His behaviour pattern just changed so much. I kept thinking it was so wrong.

"He was always introverted and not very talkative. He became very clingy, behaving really strange and asked me not to go to work."

Mrs Nicol will not be able to take legal action against GlaxoSmithKline with law firm Hugh James as the solicitors told her they can only take on cases from the past three years.

Two more people from East Lancashire, who have been prescribed Seroxat, said they wanted to join the potential legal action, but did want to be identified.

A spokesman for GlaxoSmithKlilne said: "Suicide, which is a potentially avoidable consequence of depression, causes the death of 3,000 people in the UK every single year and affects their family and friends.

"By treating depression Seroxat helps to prevent suicide and the associated suicidal thoughts.

"There is no compelling evidence that Seroxat or this class of medicines are linked to an increased risk of suicide."

He added they were aware Hugh James were investigating cases but had not had any contact from them.