A mother and carer has said she and her husband have been pushed to breaking point caring for their son.

Clare Cowling and her husband care for her 38-year-old son Trevor, who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2013.

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Today, Trevor is paralysed down his left side, cannot walk more than 10 yards, and uses a wheelchair.

New research conducted by the MS society shows that nearly half of family members and friends supporting someone with MS do not receive the support they need, with one in three giving up work to become full time carers.

Nearly 90 per cent of those surveyed said that their health and wellbeing had been negatively impacted because of their caring roll.

Clare said: “I left my full-time job when Trevor was diagnosed and found part-time work so I could be at home more. I now spend around 70 hours a week washing, cleaning, cooking, driving, dressing sores and tying shoelaces.

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"Trevor feeds himself but can’t cut up his food. He’s starting to have trouble going to the toilet too, and I don’t know what will happen when he needs help with that.

“He used to have a volunteering job, but they sacked him when his disability got worse, saying they didn’t have the right facilities. There isn’t a lot of work for people who are disabled and can’t use computers.

"He doesn’t go out any more and I can’t remember the last time I had a break. There needs to be two of us at home at all times in case he falls. Going to work is actually my break as it means I can get out of the house and stop worrying for a bit.”

Fredi Cavander-Attwood, Policy Manager at the MS Society, said: “The adult social care system is under more pressure than ever and failing to provide the support older people, disabled adults and their families need.

"Residents of the UK now have a 65 per cent chance of providing unpaid care in their adult lives – massively impacting their employment prospects, financial stability, and health and wellbeing.

“More than 130,000 people live with MS in the UK, and it shouldn’t be assumed that their family and friends can plug the gaps in our broken social care system.

"We need a fair, effective and properly funded care system across the UK so no one is forced to give up work to ensure their loved one gets proper support.”