A 23-year-old man who was injured when Bradford police used CS spray on him has called for it to be banned.

Ian Russell has lodged an official complaint with West Yorkshire Police after he suffered extensive blistering to his face, neck and arms.

Mr Russell, of Longfield Drive, Dudley Hill, Bradford, has been treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary three times since the spray was used on him.

He has hospital dressings on his neck and his blisters are so painful he cannot sleep.

Mr Russell, a refrigeration engineer, says police used CS spray on him during a disturbance in Wakefield Road, Bradford, at 3am on Saturday.

He told the Telegraph & Argus he was jumped' by a group of men and was never physically aggressive to officers.

He was arrested and taken to Bradford's police station where he claims he was CS sprayed again in a holding area. He was bailed pending further inquiries.

Mr Russell concedes he was "no angel" and that he has been in trouble with the police before. But he believes the spray was too strong or that too much was used on him.

"I have had a massive reaction. I have loads of blisters round my eyes and my neck that are getting worse. I even have blisters behind my ears. I am off work sick all week," he said.

"I don't want to get police officers into trouble. I am just trying to show people the damage the spray can do.

"It should be banned because the police don't know who will suffer side effects and I don't want this to happen to anyone else."

West Yorkshire Police approved the use of CS spray in 1997 and say all their officers are trained to use it when appropriate.

CS spray is a liquid which acts as an irritant on the nose, mouth and eyes.

It is dispensed from a hand-held aerosol canister and contains a five per cent solution of CS in the solvent Methyl Isobutyl Ketone (MIBK), comprising 1.5 grams of CS dissolved in a total volume of 30 millilitres. The propellant is nitrogen.

A report by the Police Complaints Authority in 2000 on the use of the spray nationally said that serious injury caused by it included burns to the face and occasionally to the eyes. None of the ill effects were permanent.

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police confirmed that a complaint had been received from a 23-year-old man about his arrest on October 28.

It was being investigated by the force's Professional Standards Department.

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