MULTIPLE sclerosis sufferer Stefan Cambridge is calling for a pioneering treatment to be available in the UK.

As a child, the now 34-year-old spent years caring for his father who had MS before seeing him die. Just five years later he received the devastating news he too had the disease.

Stefan, who uses a wheelchair and walking sticks, recently travelled to Poland for surgery which he says has halted the progression of the debilitating condition which affects all kinds of nerve function.

He is now calling for the pioneering surgery to be made available on the NHS.

The dad-of-one, who has a progressive form of the condition, said: "I lost my dad to MS at a young age and I know what this illness can do.

"For someone like me not to progress is like a miracle. For people who have the procedure done early on before the damage starts then it's more of a cure."

Stefan, whose father died from MS at the age of 42, paid £4,000 to have an angioplasty performed on his jugular vein to widen it.

The surgery, which is not available on the NHS in the UK, follows initial studies abroad which suggest MS is linked to a narrowing in the veins which drain the spine and brain.

It is not known if this condition, known as chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI), is a cause of MS but researchers are reported to have said it is at least an important association.

Some patients who have had similar procedures have even reported an improvement in symptoms.

Stefan, from Bishop's Cleeve, returned from Poland in January and believes the surgery he had has stopped his MS getting worse. The former Bournside School pupil found out about the studies on internet MS forums.

Stefan and his sister Gillian cared for their father until his death in 2003. There is no cure for MS but it has not been shown to be hereditary in medical studies, so Stefan was shocked and devastated when he was diagnosed.

"I just couldn't believe it when I got diagnosed. I have done everything I possibly can to try to get better," he said.

Opinion is divided in the medical world about the treatment Stefan received.

Researchers at Stanford University in America are reported to have halted treatments after one patient died from a brain haemorrhage following a procedure and another required emergency open heart surgery after a jugular vein stent dislodged.

The MS Society says it is open to receiving grant applications to fund research into CCSVI within the UK.

Dr Doug Brown, biomedical research manager at the society, said: "The MS Society has followed reports on CCSVI closely but we need to see more evidence before we can make any firm conclusions on whether CCSVI can cause MS or whether treating it would have any effect on MS. We would not advise people to seek unproven treatments outside of a properly controlled clinical trial."

A Department of Health spokesperson said: "The NHS is constantly expanding the range and types of treatments available and we are always interested to know about new and innovative treatments that will not only provide benefits for the patients but for the NHS as well.

"Surgery is not without risk and all new treatments must be examined for their effectiveness, safety and cost. We look forward to further research in this area."

A group is trying to get this treatment set up in the UK. Visit www.ms-ccsvi-uk.org/ for details.