BURY pensioner Brenda Payne is among the first in the country to sue an airline after she claims to have suffered symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Mrs Payne, of Taylor Street, says she has suffered symptoms of DVT since taking flights she won in a magazine competition.

The condition, which causes clots to form inside blood vessels, can cause long-term health problems in patients and has proved fatal in a number of cases.

Although a direct link between the illness and air travel has yet to be proved, the Department of Health has issued warnings to travellers.

Mrs Payne (61) is one of 11 claimants to file a High Court writ against air firms, who they say were negligent for not giving earlier notice of the risks.

Claimants from the group, who say they have suffered the after effects of non-lethal clots, are claiming damages of up to £50,000 each under the Warsaw Convention.

Problems caused by the disease can include pain and swelling in the legs, rapid heart beat and fever.

Mrs Payne, who also suffers from arthritis, experienced symptoms following four flights she made between Manchester, Amsterdam and Bangkok.

She expects to recover no more than £15,000 from the action, which will be given a preliminary hearing at the High Court in London this November.

Speaking on behalf of Mrs Payne, her solicitor Mr Des Collins, said: "What we are trying to do is establish a precedent as quickly as possible to ensure that the rights of passengers are considered by the court.

"We aim to show that the industry was aware, or should have been aware, of the risks, and that it should have warned passengers of them at the point of sale."

A spokesman for British Airways said that their customers were now given information about the condition when buying their tickets.

He said: "We sympathise with victims, but since both the World Health Organisation and the House of Lords agree that there is no evidence of a causal link between the flying and DVT, all claims will continue to be resisted.

"We would like to reassure the public that British Airways takes the health and well-being of its passengers extremely seriously."