THE family of a young soldier who died from vCJD has hit out at W.H Smith for stocking stationery depicting a "mad cow".

The family, of Daventer Drive, Stanmore, are calling for the range to be withdrawn, branding it an insult to those whose lives have been affected by the disease.

Their close male relative died six months ago, aged 26. They are still coming to terms with their loss and asked that his identity be protected.

He was working as an Army chef when he became ill. and spent more than a year in hospital before being the illness was correctly diagnosed. Doctors even claimed he was making up his symptoms and referred him to a psychiatric unit.

After this terrible ordeal, the family were horrified when they saw the "mad cow" stationery on sale in local stores.

Anne O'Connor said the stationary was an insult to her relative's memory and called Smith's head office to complain. But she was told the line was too successful to be withdrawn.

"I was so upset," she said. "I just want to make people aware of what this disease really means so they will think twice before buying this stuff."

She described how her relative's condition deteriorated rapidly. On July 1 he was able to walk, but two weeks later he was bed-ridden.

"He came home for about two weeks, and by the end of the second week he didn't recognise any of us," she said.

"People just don't know what it can do to a family. He was a happy-go-lucky guy, who was always out having a drink, having a laugh. He was a very happy person who loved his job and loved his family."

A spokesman for W.H Smith said the "mad cow" line was part of the With-It stationery range, which features animal characters based on colloquial expressions such as "cheeky monkey", "groovy chick" and "glamour puss". It was popular and there were no plans to take it off the shelves.

She said: "We offer our sincere apologies for any offence and distress caused.

"It was never our intention for the name of these products to be in any way associated with the disease BSE or its human form, vCJD."