An Inverness grandmother with a rare condition that gives her the shakes and fear of ridicule from insensitive strangers is urging health chiefs to invest in special equipment to help sufferers.

She is reluctant to venture out for risk of taunts – and believes many other people suffer the same torment.

Mary Ramsay (61) has an incurable nerve disorder. As a last resort, she opted to have battery-powered electrodes implanted in her brain to lessen her tremor.

While she considers it "a Godsend", the treatment may be too invasive for others.

It also meant a 560-mile round trip to a Newcastle hospital because the procedure is not available in Scotland. And despite being on benefits she had to stump up part of the travel costs.