STAFF at Blackburn with Darwen Council will launch a pioneering Epilepsy Peer Support Group a week on Friday.

The initiative, thought to be the first of its kind in the North of England, is the idea of comms manager Ben Greenwood, media officer Holly Nicholson and apprentice Claresse Brazendale who all suffer from the condition.

Council chief executive Denise Park, said: "It’s great to see employees coming together to support each other."

Mr Greenwood said:“I developed the condition when I was 27 and to say I had difficulty accepting the diagnosis is an understatement. I think things would have been a lot better if I had someone to talk to who had gone through it."

It will meet every three months.

Ms Nicholson said: "I think these sessions will help anyone who is feeling anxious or confused about their condition and listen to how others have dealt with their epilepsy."

Ms Brazendale said: "I hope that this group will grow to become an important resource for our colleagues with epilepsy, especially those who are newly-diagnosed and in need of some support and advice”.