In Coronation Street, Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) has been struggling to accept that he has a terminal illness ever since receiving the diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease.

He has also had to deal with symptoms that are getting worse, and he now has new difficulties virtually every day.

In a recent Corrie video clip, he also has a terrifying breakdown that leaves him stranded and helpless and screaming for assistance.

He has loved ones who have tried their best to help him, but Shelly (Natalie Amber), a lady he met at an MND support group, is the only one who truly comprehends his plight.

Since Shelly has MND and has had it longer than Paul, she can provide Paul guidance and empathy in a manner that his well-intentioned family cannot.

For Bernie (Jane Hazlegrove), Shelly has also offered a source of money. Bernie recognized an opportunity as Shelly had been buying and selling laptops using an old credit card to pay her caregivers. She informed Shelly that she knew someone who could sell the computers on the market, and Bernie would share in the proceeds.

Paul receives a letter in subsequent episodes inviting him a meeting with a palliative care nurse. In an effort to make it seem insignificant for Billy’s (Daniel Brocklebank) benefit, he chooses to approach Shelly.

When he finally gets to meet her, he is horrified to see how sick she has gotten.

The following day, Paul is having difficulty walking, and Billy suggests it might be time to try using a wheelchair. Paul rejects.

Later, when Bernie gets caught in the act sorting out a shipment of electronic products with Shelly’s address, he realizes what she has been up to. In defense, Bernie claims she was simply attempting to raise the funds he’ll soon require for specialized equipment to help him with his impairment.

Paul acknowledges that his mother is trying to do the right thing, but he worries that she may end up in jail if she is discovered. Paul decides he needs to speak with Shelly to convince her to stop giving Bernie laptops.

He leaves to go to her apartment, but on a quiet street, his legs give out on him. He trips and falls, then realizes he will never be able to stand up again. He has no choice but to call for assistance, but no one is in the area to hear him.

Will someone find him in time?