Corrie Paul to show the anquish of MND

Street star is so sad to exit but glad last plotline so powerful

- SUE CRAWFORD

CORRIE actor Peter Ash was stunned that his character was to be diagnosed with motor neurone disease but is determined to give the illness a powerful TV depiction.

MND kills a third of patients within a year so the actor realised his days on the ITV soap were numbered.

Awareness of the disease has increased thanks to rugby league star Kevin Sinfield's £7million fundraising exploits. His friend and former teammate Rob Burrow, 40, has the condition.

Scottish rugby union player Doddie Weir, who died last year at 52 after a battle with MND, also raised awareness and £8m for research into the condition.

Coronation Street viewers have recently seen Peter's character, builder Paul Foreman, struggle with injuries suffered in a road accident. In scenes to be aired next month, he gets the devastating news that he's likely to have MND.

Peter, 38, said: "I was called into the producer's office late last year.