At the age of 12, former Sutton councillor Tony Pattison, 65, one day started feeling severe pains in his legs and lower back.

His mother, as any caring mum would, decided to take him to the hospital so doctors could investigate the cause of his distress.

But, after months of investigation, the doctors believed Mr Pattison had growing pains – with one them even suggesting he should “run them off.”

Mr Pattison said: “The pain would never go away. I remember the doctor suggested to my mum I should take a good run up a few flights of stairs to ease it, but the mere thought of it made me want to cry.

“That’s when Mum ‘had it’ and asked for my uncle, who was a doctor, to pull some strings and find specialists who could help.

“They finally diagnosed me with a virus from the same family as the polio one and, after a quick treatment, I was able to return to a normal life.

“I was lucky I didn’t have to wear the iron leg braces and the only effect it had on me is that it made one of my legs slightly shorter than the other.”

According to Mr Pattison, lots of children he knew at the time were getting pains.

One of his friends was diagnosed with a more severe form of polio, and needed the leg braces, which are used to keep the legs straight so the bones can support the child’s weight