DOWNHAM man George Rolph has ended his hunger strike on day 46, but says he will start again in 20 days.

The 60-year-old, of Capstone Road, stopped eating on May 20 when an assessment by Atos Healthcare deemed him capable of work and his benefits were taken away.

His benefits have since been restored, but he decided to continue the strike to raise awareness for people in a similar position to the one he found himself in.

He has now called an end to it, but intends to start again after spending 20 days increasing his "support base".

Mr Rolph claims to have lost 52 pounds over the 46 days, dropping from 260 pounds to 208.

He said: "I am feeling very well. My strength is coming back quickly and apart from a little niggling pain in the glands under my ears, I feel very good.

"For tactical reasons I have decided to suspend my hunger strike.

"I have taken this decision because it became clear to me over the last week that my activist support base in not substantial enough to continue with any hope of success.

"Following a deliberate, nasty, vicious and sustained attack, which included written physical threats on my life, it was clear to me that I needed time to rebuild a core support base of people.

"The campaign is not over and neither is the hunger strike.

"I propose to allow myself two weeks for my body to recover and, in exactly two weeks, I shall begin another forty day hunger strike.

"At the end of that period I will eat again for two weeks and then commence another 40 day hunger strike if necessary and so on, until the government meet my two simple requests for justice for the nation's disabled."

Mr Rolph says he wants anyone appealing against their benefits being taken away to have their benefits restored until their appeal has been heard.

He has also requested the government review how Atos carries out its assessments.

He says he suffered few specific symptoms during the hunger strike, just general weakness.

Mr Rolph suffers by post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the result of years of physical and mental abuse at the hands of a number of women.