CLITHEROE pensioner Lawrence Pickard has praised NHS staff for helping him cope with lung disease.

The 75-year-old is part of a group of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who have been meeting in Clitheroe for a ten-week course delivered by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The course is run by nurses, healthy lifestyle co-ordinators and physiotherapists, teaching exercises to help manage their condition and giving advice about diet and managing symptoms.

Mr Pickard said: "I've had COPD half my life and coming on this weekly course has really helped me get more information about my condition and meeting other people who have the same illness as me.

“I know more about the symptoms now and what to do if they get worse and I've been shown that exercise really does help.

“The staff have been great and have put us through our paces.

“But I definitely feel that it's helped all round.

“I'd recommend to anyone with COPD attending one of these groups.”