A Helensburgh man living with multiple sclerosis has spoken of how walking football has helped him cope with his diagnosis.

Football fan Paul McGaw, aged 45, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis [MS] in 2007 and has been playing with the Dumbarton Walking Football Club for the past five years after he began to find playing regularly too difficult.

After playing for years with friends as a hobby, Paul wanted to find a way to keep up with the sport and was thankful to find walking football as matches do not allow players to run or jog, require them to pass the ball within three touches, and last an hour instead of 90 minutes.

He said: “I used to play football all the time – not in a good way but just like every Tom, Dick, and Harry in Scotland – but obviously with MS I couldn’t really do it any longer.

“It was actually my father-in-law and my mother-in-law that pointed out that there was a club nearby.

“I’ve been doing walking football now for about four or five years.

“I’d say playing benefits both my physical and mental health.

“People just come along and have a laugh, a joke, and a kick about and don’t take it too seriously.

“Sometimes your MS just decides not to play and I have to say 'sorry guys, I need to come off the pitch and sit down for a bit'.

“We are still competitive when we play. We don’t want to lose - it’s just not worth getting worked up about!”

The sport and most teams – including Dumbarton Walking Football Club- are geared towards over 50s but due to Paul’s MS causing mobility issues, he has been playing with the team since he was 40.

MS can have many symptoms especially throughout it’s various stages but key effects can be fatigue, numbness and tingling, muscle spasms, stiffness and weakness, and mobility issues.

Through the club, Paul has planned this year’s Dumbarton Walking Football Club Tournament in benefit of MS Society Scotland to help raise funds for research into and awareness of the disease.

On Sunday, July 2 at the Argyll Park sports pitches in Alexandria, competitors will compete in games of walking football with funds being raised through player entry fees and a raffle set to take place on the day.

Morna Simpkins, director of MS Society Scotland, said: “We are extremely grateful to Paul and everyone at Dumbarton Walking Football Club for choosing to support MS Society Scotland.

“More than 15,000 people in Scotland are living with MS. It damages nerves in the body and makes it harder to do everyday things, like walk, talk, eat and think.

“Funds raised by our fantastic supporters, like Paul and his teammates, help us to continue supporting the MS community today as well as funding ground-breaking research into more and better treatments for everyone with MS in the future.

“Good luck to all the teams taking part and we hope you have an enjoyable day.”

While primarily a fundraiser, teams will also compete for a trophy prize which will be presented in a ceremony at the end of the day.

Those interested in joining the tournament can do so for a fee of £60 per seven-a-side team.

To enquire, email dumbartonfcwalkingfootball150@gmail.com.

Online donations to the fundraiser can be made at bit.ly/walkingfootballpaulmcgaw.