A MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer from Darlington is supporting a national campaign to make voluntary euthanasia legal.

Neil Bright, 44, was diagnosed with a serious form of the disease in 1996 and suffers very painful attacks.

Mr Bright, from the Neasham Road area of town, is backing the ukActNow.org campaign, launched by people with terminal illnesses who want the right choose medical assistance to die if their suffering, loss of dignity or immobility becomes unbearable.

Mr Bright has written to Darlington MP and Health Secretary, Alan Milburn, stating his case, but has had no reply.

He has been spurred on by the news that Guernsey has taken the first step towards legalising voluntary euthanasia and he wants Britain to follow suit by carrying out a full investigation.

An online petition signed by 50,000 people has been delivered to Prime Minister Tony Blair by a delegation which included Brian Pretty, husband of motor neurone victim, Diane Pretty. She campaigned unsuccessfully for her husband to be able to help her choose the time to die.

Mr Bright said: "I was in the bed next to a motor neurone sufferer at Middlesbrough when I was first diagnosed. He was bright as a button but totally paralysed from the neck down. It filled me with fear.

"I have told my family that if things do get very bad I would expect one of them to help me take an overdose.

"At the moment I am in remission, but I don't know what the future holds."