A Norfolk charity providing oxygen therapy in a scuba-style barochamber has started offering the treatment to Long Covid sufferers - and claims to be seeing positive results.

The Chedgrave Oxygen Therapy Centre was set up in 1986 when its founders purchased a barochamber that was previously used by deep sea divers to prepare for missions.

The chamber allows people to breathe almost 92pc pure oxygen, which is primarily used to help people with MS and those with lower levels of oxygen on the blood.

But in the past few months, the charity has begun offering the treatment to people with Long Covid, something that is also being researched by the Royal College of Physicians.

The charity has so far started treating six people living with Long Covid, with the first patient having started sessions in August.

Jean Woodrow, the centre's manager, said: "Nobody is suggesting that oxygen therapy can or will cure Long Covid, however, the people we have treated so far have seen improvements in their quality of life.

"People have particularly said it really helps with their breathing and we hope we can help more people too."

The first person to receive the treatment was 47-year-old Claire, a deputy headteacher who lives near Attleborough and tested positive for Covid in January last year.

She said: "My biggest mistake was trying to do too much after I got Covid.

"In the end my fatigue became so extreme I could not get out of bed.

"I started sessions in August and to begin with didn't notice much difference, but I persisted with it and have now seen real improvements.

"It has really helped improve my concentration levels and my fatigue is so much better."

Sonya, a 60-year-old NHS worker from West Norfolk, fell seriously ill in March 2020 and was retrospectively diagnosed with the coronavirus - with testing unavailable at the time.

Ever since she has suffered with fatigue, shortness of breath and various aches and pains.

She said: "I am having once session per week at the minute and for the 24 hours or so after each treatment I can really notice the difference. I feel much more energised and find it far easier to breathe.

"I owe such gratitude to the centre - I can not thank them enough."