A charity which helps people with a little-known brain condition is moving into its first office.

County town resident Dr Ian Stuart set up the Cavernoma Alliance UK from his home back in 2005 to help support people suffering from the condition.

His tireless work since has seen more than 400 members join the charity and from September he will be working from an office in Somerleigh Gate in Somerleigh Road, Dorchester.

Dr Stuart said the office would be open to the public seven days a week from 8am until 10pm because the work he does has become his life.

He said he has nine volunteers but only he would be based at the office where members of the public can drop in if they are concerned or interested in the condition and also pick up literature and information on the illness.

Dr Stuart, 48, said: “I wanted an office in the town to have a central base where people can drop in.

“I have been running the charity from home, but I hope this will help the charity to grow and have more of a presence in the town.”

Dr Stuart, who was diagnosed with cavernoma when he was 26, said he realised something wasn’t right when he began experiencing imbalance when he was walking.

He said later on he experienced symptoms of double vision, a decline in speech and an increase in trembling in his right arm.

Dr Stuart said: “For me, it only took six months to be diagnosed but for one of my members it took 18 years to get a diagnosis.

“It’s a matter of educating and raising awareness of the condition.”

He added: “It has been hard living with the condition but in some ways it can be seen as a gift because it has enabled me to view the world slightly differently – I appreciate things more.

“I will be in the office every day from 8am until 10pm – it’s my life, it’s what I do.”