A MAN from Allerdale is the latest to speak out about the nightmare he has been going through as his life has been 'turned upside down' after receiving the AstraZeneca vaccine.

Martin Ward, from Crosby, was a fit and healthy 52-year-old 'jumping on and off lorry wagons' before receiving the vaccine, which he said has caused the development of a multi-system inflammatory disorder syndrome.

Ultimately, Martin has been left wheelchair-bound for what looks like the rest of his life as a result of developing rheumatoid arthritis and an immune system that 'effectively works against itself'.

"I ended up fighting for my life in intensive care for four weeks after having the vaccine.

"It's not just destroyed my life, it's also destroyed my partner's life who has had to leave her job to become my full-time carer," he said.

Martin, who is on 'constant medication', says he doesn't feel the government told the whole story when it came to the vaccine.

"My life has been destroyed through no fault of my own but by following government advice.

"I don't have a life now, I just exist. In my opinion, they knew something was wrong from the beginning.

"We had a great future and life to look forward to and it's turned everything upside down," he said.

Martin, like many others, is calling for the government to increase and widen the eligibility of the £120,000 vaccine damage compensation scheme.

"I was earning about £55,000 a year, so that £120,000 is only three years' salary to me when you put it in perspective.

"I was hoping to be working for another five to ten years.

"It's a large amount of money but doesn't cover anything whatsoever to what you've actually lost in life.

"The trouble is, when you're on benefits, they also take benefits away when you get the £120,000 as well, it's a crime.

"We've gone through a nightmare and it's still continuing," he said.

A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "More than 144 million Covid vaccines have been given in England, which has helped the country to live with Covid and saved thousands of lives.

"All vaccines being used in the UK have undergone robust clinical trials and have met the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency’s (MHRA) strict standards of safety, effectiveness and quality.

"The vaccine damage payments scheme provides additional support to help ease the burden on individuals who have, in extremely rare circumstances, been severely disabled or died due to receiving a government-recommended vaccine for a listed disease," they said.

Anybody who has been affected by a similar issue can apply for compensation through the government website.