A NEW charity to help psychologically-scarred war veterans has been warmly welcomed by victims and relatives in the York area.

Resolution, which aims to provide vital help to former servicemen suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), was being launched in London today.

Its aim is to help sufferers cope with problems including nightmares, flashbacks, anger and depression caused by the trauma of warfare.

The charity was welcomed today by Sue Benson of Haxby, whose son, Dave, has suffered greatly from PTSD since fighting in the Iraq war of 2003, during which he was honoured by the Americans for his courage under fire.

His family campaigned for years to get him the treatment he needed, but he faced delays in getting an NHS appointment. By the time help came, he had landed in trouble. After hearing that a friend had been killed in action in Afghanistan, he snapped and got involved in a drunken car chase with police.

Sue said: "I always welcome any initiatives which not only offer help, but highlight and acknowledge the immense emotional and psychological price paid by our veterans in their service to this country."

Sue said she and her son would definitely look at the help that might be given by Resolution.

Dave said the new charity was a step forward, and it was important that Resolution was offering support not only to PTSD sufferers, but also their families, who were also affected.

"It also needs to be easily accessible to everyone, in their own community," he added.

The charity was also welcomed by the father of Terry Walker, who suffered from PTSD as well as Gulf War Syndrome after fighting in the Gulf War of 1991. Terry died last year after a failed heart transplant following years of ill health.

Ted Walker, of Wheldrake, said Terry had been given very little help for his PTSD. "A psychiatric report said he had got it, but that was it," he said.

"I would welcome any fresh help that is going to help people in such a situation," he said.

Chris Cunningham, county manager of the Royal British Legion in North & East Yorkshire, said the Royal British Legion welcomed the new project, but it had no plans to change its current practice of referring cases to the ex-Service Mental Welfare Society (Combat Stress).

"We would still encourage anyone from the serving or ex-service community who is experiencing emotional problems relating to their service in the Armed Forces - either recently or decades ago - to contact their GP, local NHS community mental health service or Combat Stress."