A LEIGH Gulf War veteran has called for an urgent inquiry into the use of depleted uranium rounds as health concerns continue to mount across Europe. Shaun Marsh, a 34-year-old former Gulf soldier, helped to bury used and unused uranium-tipped shells in the Iraqi desert. And his wife, Amanda, said: "If anybody's health has been affected by depleted uranium, it is Shaun's."

Mr Marsh, who lives on Plank Lane, served in the war from December 1990 to April 1991 and he was stationed on the front line. He fears he breathed in the dust from the depleted uranium shells when they impacted on their target. He said: "It's always worried me. We have known about it for a while now but the government has always tried to put us off the scent.

"I would like to see every veteran of the Gulf War screened -- that's if we can trust the MoD not to sabotage the results."

According to his 28-year-old wife, Mr Marsh (pictured right now and inset when he was serving in the Gulf) went to Iraq a fit and sporty man but he came back depressed and demotivated. He now suffers from post-traumatic stress and what is believed to be Gulf War Syndrome.

Mrs Marsh said: "He used to be a semi-professional footballer but now he can hardly kick a ball because he is not physically or mentally up to it." The recent controversy has centred on a spate of deaths among Balkan-serving soldiers in Europe. Last week the Italian government announced it was to investigate the deaths from leukaemia of six of its Kosovo peacekeepers.

Mrs Marsh said: "The British government should have done what the US did and hear the individual veterans. America has admitted to Gulf War Syndrome but still Britain refuses to acknowledge it."

The couple, who met before Mr Marsh went to the Gulf but married on his return, have three children aged three, four and nine and one aged 16 months.

She said: "Our greatest fear is that of the unknown. We don't know how this will affect Shaun or even the children. The fact my husband has had health problems since he returned from the Gulf suggests something is wrong."

Mr and Mrs Marsh are members of the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association. More than million depleted uranium rounds were fired during the Gulf War and investigations are already under way in France, Sweden, Portugal and Spain. The Ministry of Defence -- which insists depleted uranium poses a "minimal risk" to health -- is set to start screening soldiers who served in the Balkan and Gulf wars. So far four French Balkan soldiers are being treated for leukaemia, six Italian soldiers had died of cancer, two from Holland had died of leukaemia and an army corporal died in Portugal.

The MoD said there had been no suspicious deaths of a British soldier to date nor evidence of any negative effects of depleted uranium.

Depleted uranium is 40 per cent less radioactive than natural uranium. It has the ability of easily slicing through military equipment.

Rae Street, from the Manchester-based Campaign Against Depleted Uranium, said: "Governments across the world are taking this very seriously but Britain has done very little.

"The Government knew of the dangers of depleted uranium in the Gulf War. Why did they use it again in the Balkans?"

The National Gulf Veterans and Families Association can be contacted on 01482 833812.