A former television war reporter has warned against a US attack on Iraq, during a public meeting in Sussex.

Martin Bell, famed for his white suit, was speaking last night at a meeting in the Dome cinema, Worthing.

Mr Bell, who later ousted Neil Hamilton to win the parliamentary seat of Tatton, said: "I don't think the case has been made.

"If we don't do this through the UN I don't believe we should do it.

"The UN represents international laws and if the UN cannot be persuaded I do not think it is the task of the US to be the sheriff of the world and Great Britain, the deputy sheriff.

"The people now going to send our troops into combat do not understand the realities of war fighting."

Mr Bell, now a UNICEF special envoy, feared the Iraq crisis was drawing the public's attention away from he plight of millions in Malawi, Africa.

He said be came back three weeks ago from Malawi, where 500,000 people had died of Aids in the last decade.

The country already had one million Aids orphans, and was now afflicted by the worst drought and famine in 50 years.

Mr Bell said: "Unless we act very quickly, 2002 is going to be the time and Africa the region where the rich and powerful of the world gave up on the poor and helpless."

The celebrity was speaking at a meeting organised by Worthing Combined Ex-Services Association, which was attended by 200 people, including MPs Peter Bottomley and Tim Loughton.

Proceeds from the event were split between Gifford House, the hospital-home for disabled ex-servicemen in Worthing and the new children's ward at Worthing Hospital.

Mr Bell said he was concerned the BBC News was "dumbing down", following a trend started in the early Nineties when ITN tried to turn itself into the broadcast version of the Daily Mail.

He said the BBC had now deserted the high ground.

He said: "The worst example is the news at six o'clock which in the last year has turned itself from a very serious news programme to something which is indistinguishable from Neighbours."