A HAMPSHIRE father is launching another bid for justice - more than 40 years after his son suffered brain damage through an injection.

Roy Stokes is to travel to London to appeal for legal aid so he can continue the fight for compensation to help pay for care for his son, Keith.

In 1963 Keith was declared a vaccine victim following a jab which was expected to protect him from whooping cough.

Now his father, Roy, says that 41-year-old Keith is a baby needing round-the-clock care at home.

Keith was among those victims who, in 1979, received an interim payment of £10,000 for those who were declared to have more than 80 per cent brain damage.

But Mr Stokes says that attempts to get final injury assessment and compensation have become a nightmare.

He said: "We were supposed to go into court for final assessment, but legal aid was stopped and the road to justice was blocked. We have been fighting for legal aid for years but it never materialises."

In his latest attempt to get the case before a court of law Mr Stokes will be travelling to London on Monday to attend a legal aid review appeal. It is a journey that the Eastleigh father - who for several years has been campaigning for Keith and many other vaccine victims - has made many times.

Mr Stokes, of Leigh Road, said: "I have to travel to London again to appeal for legal aid to be allowed to seek equitable justice in a court of law.

"Keith is condemned to be a baby for life and we, as parents, are condemned to live with the horror night and day and provide 24-hour special care.

"In 2004 Parliament still does not listen and still does not allow justice to be seen to be done for perfect children destroyed in the name of public protection."

During many years of campaigning Mr Stokes has given evidence to two Royal Commissions on whooping cough vaccine damage and children being denied legal aid.

His campaign has been backed by Eastleigh MP David Chidgey.