THE EUROPEAN Court of Human Rights is often perceived as a prescriptive meddler in Britain's affairs.

But it will do justice a service if it upholds the case of the bereaved British father taking action against the government over being denied "widow's benefits" - even though it could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds.

Mr Kevin Willis' late wife, who died from cancer last year, was the breadwinner of the family.

But in Britain - and uniquely in Europe - in such cases, the law does not allow widowed fathers the benefits that widowed mothers receive.

The system dates from the era when men were the sole breadwinners of the family.

Now, there are nearly 600,000 families in Britain in which that role belongs to women.

And there are 20,000 bereaved fathers like Mr Willis who are ineligible for benefits because, though times have changed, the rules have not.

As a result Mr Willis is forced to live off his dwindling savings as he brings up two young children.

A woman in his position would get almost £85 a week in benefits. That is neither fair, nor equal.

The government cannot defend such a patent injustice on the grounds of cost - but it is doing, and Mr Willis is having to go to Europe to try and force the justice he cannot get here.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.