ACCRINGTON man Jon Bee is to take a huge leap of faith to fight the disease which has gripped his father.

For the 24-year-old is to jump 10,000ft from a plane to help raise cash for Multiple Sclerosis.

The disease affects the central nervous system, controlling the body's communication network - meaning messages from the brain get confused or delayed.

Now Jon is preparing for the MS Trust parachuting month when he will complete his sponsored parachute jump over a Lancaster Airfield in June.

Jon said: "I'm not nervous. I've wanted to raise money for the Trust for sometime. I love my parents very much and I am doing this to try and help people like my father. My aim is to raise as much money as possible for MS."

His father, Nick, a former community charge worker, was diagnosed with MS four years ago after suffering what he thought was a trapped nerve. His wife and Jon's mother, Ann, gave up her job as a ward sister to become his primary carer.

Since then the couple from Knuzden, Blackburn, have tried to stay positive: "My mother has been amazing and we try to look on the bright side. But it is still frustrating to see him struggle with his walking and to know there is no cure available," said Jon.

The MS Trust works to increase the number of specialist MS nurses, access disease modifying drugs, fund research, run education programmes for MS health professionals and help raise awareness.

Jon's father visits an MS specialist every few months in Blackburn and has undergone a series of chemotherapy sessions, but nothing has helped his situation. Jon said: "It's very upsetting seeing a big strong man who has worked so hard and who I look up to and admire struggling. The disease might see him in a wheel chair one day and it is thought that it knocks 15 years off a person's life, but all I can do is help as much as I can, and spend as much time with him as possible."

To sponsor Jon visit www.justgiving.com/jumpfornick and make a donation online. The money donated goes automatically to the Trust.