In 1990, I became really concerned about the state of my legs and my ability to walk.

Walking has always been a large part of my life, and in the mid 80s, I found I could no longer take part in hill walking my hips and buttocks seemed to seize up.

By 1995, my right leg was particularly painful when walking, especially up a slight slope. I consulted my GP who gave me several tests, including ECG, as a result of which she diagnosed claudication of the arteries. I was put on drugs which helped for a while.

Fortunately, my wife and I heard about chelation therapy. The tests at the clinic in Leigh were not only on my legs and feet, but the whole body. This brought to light varying levels of claudication throughout the body, including the carotid arteries.

The result of the tests was a recommendation of 20 chelation treatments over the following 20 weeks. The treatment consists of an intravenous infusion lasting approximately three and a half hours, supplemented by vitamins.

There is also a recommendation to change one's lifestyle, and we now eat much less red meat and dairy products. I did not drink very much anyway, and gave up smoking years ago.

Attending the clinic was like going to a club. I heard lots of success stories like the woman who had been on the point of having a foot amputated and hearing just in time about chelation therapy, which saved her feet. I had gone through half my treatments before I really began to feel a real difference in my condition. I no longer had that intense pain in my calf, and I could walk further without having to stop.

After 20 weeks, I could walk nearly a mile without stopping. My legs still get tired after a mile or two on a shopping trip, but at least I can now go shopping again! It is such a shame that more health authorities do not take up the cheap and successful chelation therapy. A H B, Galashiels.