A FARMER fighting to save his pollution-hit business has suffered a stroke.

Stricken Ken Saddington's wife, Heather, blames the attack on worry about the future of their Carlton Bank Stud, near Stokesley, which was hit by a spill of 1,500 gallons of diesel, two and a half years ago, and the strain of their battle for compensation.

"It cannot be anything else to blame for this,'' said Heather. "This has gone on for more than two years and he has never had a stroke before. We have had years of worry.''

Horse breeder Ken, who now must learn to speak again, became ill soon after writing to Prime Minister Tony Blair urging him to order action before the stud was forced to close.

Mr Blair has written back to the Saddingtons saying the matter is being passed to the Department of Environment.

The couple's horses suffer sores and re-occurring dermititus churning up the contaminated bed of a stream and bog.

Despite running the water for the horses and the rest of the farm straight from the couple's own mains water supply, and the installation of electric fences around the stud, the horses still find a way down to the stream.

The couple have been told by their solicitor that if any visiting mares become afflicted by the condition, the Saddingtons could be sued.

Mr Saddington said yesterday: "It is so frustrating. I can write faster than I can speak and how I speak sounds like a load of rubbish."

The spill occurred while West Cornforth contractors HJ Banks carried out restoration work on erosion-hit Carlton Bank.

The firm has claimed responsibility for the spill and has said it is willing to settle.

Banks executives want to set up a site visit to the stud accompanied by a loss adjuster, it emerged yesterday.

But, with an ill Mr Saddington out of hospital just this week, his wife is worried he will not be well enough for the visit