Man walking 200 miles for girlfriend's Lyme disease treatment

India's Lyme disease means everyday things like holding a conversation have become a struggle

A man is walking 200 miles in a week to raise money for treatment for his girlfriend's chronic Lyme disease.

India Matthews contracted the illness from an insect bite while travelling in Thailand in 2016 and has since been "so ill" she has "no quality of life".

Her boyfriend, Nathaniel Pells, set off on Saturday from his home city of Leeds to Neston, Wiltshire, where India lives, and hopes to raise £15,000.

India, 24, said: "It's astonishing that he's doing this."

Initially her symptoms were mild but within a month she said they "spiralled" leading to seizures, sleep paralysis, sensitivity to noise and light and all over body pain.

Nathaniel said it's tough when "there's a few hours left, you have a blister and your legs ache"

She said: "I remember waking up in the middle of the night in my hostel in Singapore with blurred foggy vision, tingling up and down my arms and legs and a completely numb neck.

"It was honestly one of the most terrifying experiences of my life."

India received medical help whilst she was abroad, but the language barrier made the experience more difficult.

She said: "It was super horrible and the trauma of that has definitely added to the severity of the experience. It's really affected my mental health."

It took a year and a half for India to get a diagnosis from a specialist doctor in Germany after failed attempts on the NHS.

The doctor confirmed she was suffering from chronic Lyme disease.

Nathaniel is currently walking between 25 and 30 miles for 12 hours a day

The couple, who met when they were backpacking in Southeast Asia, came up with the fundraising idea after joking about walking the length of their long-distance relationship.

Nathaniel's journey has so far taken him through towns and cities including Barnsley, Birmingham and Cirencester.

The 25-year-old, who is due to finish the walk on Friday, said the fundraiser was "not only a physical challenge, but it's a mental one".

What is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection which is spread to humans by infected ticks.

Symptoms include a rash, flu-like symptoms, a high temperature and tiredness.

It's usually easier to treat if diagnosed early but people with symptoms that last longer may be referred to a specialist.

Source: NHS

He said: "The first day was hard. It was really hot and hilly. The second day was a bit easier.

"Its been beautiful to see some parts of the English countryside."

So far, the couple have achieved half of their fundraising target.

India said: "I'm so determined to find a treatment that works. It's all about trial and error."

They said they were shocked at "how generous people have been."

India said: "It's amazing that I've got that much money to help me to get better."