A MOTHER who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis earlier this year is selling off items donated by celebrities to raise money for research into the disease.

Helen Thomas, 34, set up her website, helenscharityauction.org, in September and started writing to famous people asking them to help.

The first of her monthly auctions starts on November 30 and will run for 10 days on eBay. Goodies up for grabs include an autographed postcard of David Tennant as Dr Who, a signed boxed set of Mike Leigh movies, and a DVD signed by Stephen Fry. The money raised from successful bids will go straight to Multiple Sclerosis Research in Bristol.

Helen, who lives in Parkstone, who has a teenage son, first had symptoms of MS last year but was not diagnosed until January this year.

“One side of my face went numb. My feet went numb and it spread to my waist. I couldn’t move my legs. It took about six months to recover completely, then I had a mini-episode,” she recalled.

“I haven’t felt my feet since last October and my hands have gone. I don’t walk very far and use a stick,” she added.

Her illness meant she was forced to leave her history degree course at Winchester. She tires easily. “I wanted to do something to raise money. Other people were doing sponsored walks and runs. I kept telling myself ‘once I’m better I’ll do that’, but then I thought ‘what if I don’t get better?’.

“There are 2.5 million people around the world who have MS. It’s a horrible disease and there’s no cure. I just want to do something that will make a difference.”