A father-of-three who has organised a 24-hour go karting event to raise money for a debilitating condition affecting his wife, says other people with the same disease have got in touch as a result.

Martin Maskelyne, 41, of Lambrok Road in Trowbridge, is holding the go karting event on the weekend of May 16-17 at M4 Karting in Hullavington.

His wife Julie, 46, suffers from Huntington’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition with no current cure that leads to un co-ordinated jerky body movements and eventually causes a decline in mental abilities, often resulting in dementia.

Her three sons, Jayson Edmonds, 20, Wayne Edmonds, 24, and Jamie Edmonds, 23, stand a 75 per cent chance of also developing the condition. The boys are taking part in the kating event.

Mr Maskelyne says organising the event has put him in contact with other people in the area in similar circumstances.

“We’ve had a pretty good response from the newspaper article in the Wiltshire Times,” he said.

“I’ve had people phoning up to say they have a relative, or son, or daughter who has the illness and asking us how we are coping.

“We are going to keep in contact with them so it’s been really good for us.

“One person phoned up from Bradford on Avon and a lady phoned up from Westbury saying her daughter had it.

“She also said to me that when it gets nearer the time for sorting out sponsorship for the event, she will send a cheque through.”

He has also arranged with the Huntington’s Disease Association to have a representative there on the day to offer advice and leaflets so people can learn more about the condition and how the association can help.

He said: “They are going to be up there on race day. They are going to set a table up on the day so that if anyone has questions about the illness they can help them.”

Places are still available for the race, and no previous go karting experience is needed. It costs £125 per driver, or £1,000 to field a team of six to eight people.

Call Mr Maskelyne on 07885 141676 or Kevin Beard on 07846 358713 for more information.