A SERIOUSLY ill woman is risking the wrath of the police to speak out about her fight to legalise cannabis -- and has won the backing of a former head of the Scotland Yard drugs squad.

Sybil Lucas-Brewer has been taking cannabis for four years to stop the pain of arthritis.

She says she is prepared to be arrested for taking the drug, which is delivered to her by local growers and dealers in the middle of the night.

She has accused the Government of breaching human rights, and is desperate to expose what she says are the benefits of taking cannabis.

Mother-of-two Sybil, 48, said: "I have to speak out. People need to be told the truth about cannabis from the many people who benefit from it."

Sybil, who lives in Lea, claims that, as she is allergic to most pain killers, including morphine, cannabis has been the only pain relief option.

She said: "I have done my research and I treat it sensibly, as medication."

Sybil, a member of an internet discussion site on cannabis, says she has strong support for what she is doing.

"I am ready to be arrested but there will be an uprising if I am arrested for having a joint. I have got 13,000 people supporting me on the internet."

She has won the backing of Eddie Ellison, former detective chief superintendent at Scotland Yard. He retired ten years ago and now campaigns for the legalisation of a number of drugs.

He said: "It is illogical to treat as a criminal, somebody who has found something that elleviates their pain. I think it's good that she has spoken out."

But Superintendent Irene Curtis of Preston police said: "Our priority is dealing with Class A drugs, predominantly heroin and crack cocaine, which cause most of problems in the Preston area. But possession of cannabis is still illegal."

Possession of cannabis can result in a hefty fine and in extreme cases a prison sentence can be given out.