THE pain of watching two much-loved mums suffer from a crippling disease has prompted their daughters to dust off their walking shoes to help raise funds for a cure.

Nahla Kharas and Caroline Lynch have been friends since they attended Holy Family Primary School, in Benfleet, 26 years ago.

Since then, the two families have shared many happy experiences, but by an extraordinary and tragic coincidence they have also shared the pain of seeing their mothers, Marie and Rosemary, who are both 62, suffer from multiple sclerosis.

Now the friends, who are 31, have decided to take part in a 50km sponsored walk in Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire, on August 11 and 12, to raise awareness about the disease.

They also hope to raise funds for research which one day may provide a cure for the debilitating disease.

Multiple sclerosis is an incurable neurological condition which occurs when myelin, the protective sheath surrounding the nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord, is damaged.

It affects people in different ways.

Marie finds it very difficult to walk and had to retire early from her job as a primary school teacher on Canvey.

She said: "I've had problems with my balance for more than ten years now.

"I feared crossing bridges if there was a main road underneath because I thought I might get run-over.

"Then I found I kept falling over when I wore high heels.

"It was when I couldn't walk in flat shoes that I realised something was very wrong."

Speaking of her family's experience, her daughter Nahla said: "It's been very tough on us all, but we're a practical family so we get on with it as best we can.

"My parents support each other and my mother has a scooter to retain her independence."

She added: "Caroline and I have always been close, but we're determined to draw strength from each other.

"At the moment, MS is incurable so medical research needs to be done to find out more about it.

"Hopefully this will prevent other families from going through what we have suffered."

An estimated 85,000 people in the UK are affected by MS and around 50 people, usually between the ages of 20 and 40, are diagnosed with the condition every week.

If you would like to make a donation to the women's sponsored walk, and help research into the condition, click on the web link below.