ILLNESS has left Judith Hilton a prisoner in her own home.

The mother-of-two was suddenly struck down by BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Postional Vertigo) on Christmas Day.

Now she is trying to start a support network for other sufferers of this little known debilitating condition.

Said Mrs Hilton, of Kingston Road, Radcliffe: "At first I thought I had had a stroke because I couldn't move. But it turned out to be this, something I had never even heard of."

She says her life has been "snatched away" from her. She is unable to do anything without the help of her husband Clifford, who himself is recovering from a heart by-pass operation.

"The condition, which I think was brought on by a car accident, has affected all my senses. I can't sleep, eat or walk properly. I have to concentrate on every little task; everything is such an effort," she explained.

The illness is a form of constant dizziness thought to be caused by debris which has collected within the ear. Symptoms include dizziness or vertigo, light-headedness, imbalance and nausea. Although there is no cure, the condition is thought to correct itself eventually.

Mrs Hilton said: "I have been told it is not life-threatening but at the moment I don't have a life to 'threaten'! The last time I went out on my own was probably Christmas Eve.

"Before that I was out all the time socialising and going on holiday with my family. Now I can't even go shopping on my own."

In desperation, Mrs Hilton paid for private medical treatment and has written to specialists in America, through which she has been put in touch with a specialist at the University of Southampton.

She said: "I have been told that it will clear up, but it has now been more than three months.

"It is even harder to bear because I don't know of anyone else with the condition and there doesn't seem to be any sort of support group.

"There must be so many others with my condition feeling equally isolated. I am lucky I have had fantastic friends and neighbours who have helped and I couldn't have got through this without them. But just to speak to someone who has had the misfortune to have suffered this would help me."

Anyone suffering from BPPV or who can offer support or advice can contact Mrs Hilton on 0161 723 5425.