Royal award for solvent campaigner

John O'Brien has called for tighter regulations

A man whose son died after sniffing lighter fuel is to be honoured by the Queen for his campaigning work.

John O'Brien's 16-year-old son Lee died two years ago.

Mr O'Brien, 49, from Fife, is calling for regulations on selling solvents to be tightened - and has been backed by Prince William, actor Dougray Scott and snooker player Stephen Hendry.

He will be given an award by the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace on 13 October.

'Really proud'

Lighter fuel gives a temporary high when it is sniffed, but can cause side effects such as vomiting and dizziness - and can kill.

It can cause suffocation within 20 seconds or leave people with serious brain damage.

Mr O'Brien wants shopkeepers to ensure those buying dangerous substances are over 18 and that they sign for solvents.

He runs the Lee O'Brien Solvent Trust with his partner and two daughters.

Solvents campaign At the moment shopkeepers don't care and they will sell it to anyone John O'Brien

He said: "We have worked so hard for this recognition and are so pleased about the support we are getting.

"We already have a tremendous amount of backing for our campaign but to meet the Queen is to be endorsed at the highest level.

"We already got a letter from Prince William, who is studying at St Andrew's University, saying that he backs our campaign fully.

"I think Lee would have been really proud of us to have come this far in his name. It means he did not die in vain."

Mr O'Brien said meeting the Queen and delivering his petition to Downing Street will "bring the issue to the fore".

Prince William sent a letter of support

He said: "We want to shame the government into doing something so that our children cannot easily obtain this poison.

"At the moment shopkeepers don't care and they will sell it to anyone without even voicing suspicions. They are putting profits above our children's lives."

Mr O'Brien will deliver his 15,000-name petition to the prime minister.

It was signed by Glenrothes-born actor Dougray Scott and snooker star Stephen Hendry, who attended Inverkeithing High School where Lee was a pupil.

Mr O'Brien said: "I am going to ask the prime minister to do something to save our children. I will shake his hand and ask him to do what he can for us.

"We got support from all 31 councils in Scotland and I addressed MSPs at the chambers of the Scottish Parliament.

"I have had letters of support from famous people, hundreds of MPs and I hope Westminister will do something about this problem.

"We have done something good by uniting people on all different levels of society."