METRIC Martyr Steve Thoburn was back at work yesterday, still considering whether to appeal against his conviction for selling his fruit and veg in pounds and ounces only.

But if his wife, Leigh, has her way he will settle for accepting a six-month discharge, after being convicted of two offences contrary to the Weights and Measures Act 1985.

Mr Thoburn, 37, who had denied two charges of using Imperial-only scales at his stall last July, was found guilty at Sunderland Magistrates' Court following a five-day hearing.

He now sells in both Imperial and metric, which is what the law allows, but metric signs have to be given prominence when displaying weights and prices.

Mrs Thoburn, 28, said she feared a further struggle could exact a heavy toll on her husband and two children, Georgia, four, and Rhys, ten.

She has told her husband that "enough is enough" and his conviction should be the end of the battle. She said: "He works so hard, but if it is left up to me this is all finished with."

Mr Thoburn said: "I really need to sit down with my family and discuss this. At the end of the day it has had a big effect on my life and my business. It has not been functioning properly because I am not there as much as I should be. "

Meanwhile, the leader of the Metric Martyr fund, Neil Herron, 38, is planning to stand as an independent candidate for the Sunderland North parliamentary constituency.

He said: "I am not really interested in politics, but people want someone who is prepared to stand without being part of the establishment."

Sunderland City Council said its bill over the case had come to £51,000 and it was hoping to get help from the Department of Trade and Industry or other local authorities