A disabled teenager has personally handed a 24,000 signature petition to the Prime Minister calling for help for muscular dystrophy sufferers.

Walthamstow school boy Saul Catlin 14 and his father Nick set out on a mission to raise awareness about the condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD).

The pair of Bisterne Avenue want to see the drug, Translarna, fully funded for UK sufferers.

The muscle wasting condition leaves many boys needing a wheelchair by the time they are eight or nine years old.

However, Translarna developed by PTC Therapeutics in the USA is the first drug formed to treat the underlying genetic causes of DMD.

The drug, which can only be used in boys over five years of age who can still walk, has now been licensed by the European Medicines Agency for use in Europe.

Other countries such as Germany and Denmark have already granted funding for its use.

Translarna works by encouraging cells to ignore the stop signal and read all the genetic information. In boys with DMD, this could restore dystrophin protein production in the muscles.

The campaign to fund the drug has been supported by Saul’s local MP Stella Creasy and Dave Anderson MP, the Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Muscular Dystrophy.

During the meeting, the Prime Minster was told about the detrimental effect delaying access to the drug is having on the lives of young people.

MP for Walthamstow, Stella Creasy said: "I've had the honour to know Saul and his dad Nick as passionate campaigners on this issue for several years and am so proud of all they have achieved.”

Headteacher at Saul’s school, Frederick Bremer, Jenny Smith said: “Saul is a true inspiration to other students and staff at our school and we are extremely proud of all that he has already achieved with this campaign.

“We urge anyone who hasn’t had the chance to sign this very important petition to set aside just a few minutes to do so.” Saul Caitlin’s Dad Nick said: “There is now cross party support for this campaign.

“Now the Prime Minister has also promised that he will look further into the funding of Translarna and meet with the Health Minister to discuss what could be done so that young people can have access to this treatment.

“The Government really needs to get its act together to make sure funding is ring fenced to deliver these medicines that could change the lives of young people.”

To sign the petition which now has over 24,000 signatures, visit: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/p/translarna.