A ROWNHAMS couple are fighting for extra funding into pioneering treatment which could help prolong their young son's life.

Tanya and Neil Carroll want the government to plough more cash into research treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy - a muscle wasting disease affecting their five-year-old son Lloyd, who is not expected to live beyond 20.

But a new gene therapy treatment currently undergoing clinical trials in Britain could change all that. The 'wonder' treatment, antisense oligonucleotide gene therapy, involves the application of "molecular patches" which could extend Lloyd's life to 40 and beyond.

The biggest hurdle appears to be cost. About £1.6million has already been allocated for research but the Carrolls and the charity Parent Project UK say more cash desperately needs to be invested into the research programme.

"At least £5 million more is needed to ensure this research can bear fruit. For the first time the dream of a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a realistic possibility," said 37-year-old Tanya.

Next Tuesday Tanya and Neil, 36, are travelling to the House of Commons where they will lobby MPs including Sandra Gidley. Tanya and Neil will be joined by others taking part in the Race Against Time campaign - aimed at securing more cash for clinical trials of the gene therapy treatment.

Tanya added: "From an early age we noticed Lloyd struggled to climb the stairs and when he was at nursery school they noticed he had problems running. When we were told he had Duchenne muscular dystrophy it was a terrible shock. He had a special test done and not long after that he was diagnosed with the disease. We were in a daze for about six months after that. Duchenne muscular dystrophy only affects boys and they are usually diagnosed between the ages of three and five."

Currently, Lloyd enjoys life at school and looking at him you wouldn't know he had anything wrong with him said his mum, who knows that in three or four years time her son is likely to be wheelchair-bound. "He's just like any other child. He has one-to-one support with PE at school. He can do a reasonable amount but he does fall over quite a lot. Despite his problems he so good.

"Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a physical disorder and the trunk muscles are affected first. Eventually, the heart and lungs are affected. Lloyd is at an age where he wants to try anything and do everything.

"If Lloyd gets this treatment hopefully he will live until he's 40 or more. A lot more boys are going to need the treatment too. It's a very serious disease but if the patching is successful, hopefully it will turn DMD into a Becker muscular dystrophy type condition and the boys will live until they are in their 40s or 50s," said Tanya.