TONY NICKLINSON is an erudite and funny man whose posts are avidly followed on Twitter, a man beloved by his family. He also has locked-in syndrome, is paralysed from the neck down, has no privacy, is often in severe discomfort or pain from being unable to alter his position in his wheelchair.

And he wants to die.

Given our current legal situation, the only way that Mr Nicklinson, 58, from Wiltshire, who suffered a stroke in Greece more than six years ago, would be able to die without the physical torture of a trip to Switzerland or another country with a different legal system would be to slowly starve himself to death.

Should any medical professional listen to his persistent pleas and assist him in the UK, they would currently face prosecution.

His High Court bid to change that situation, supported by his wife and children and another un-named sufferer, failed last week. He says he will appeal.

This is what he wrote on Twitter to his 45,000 followers afterwards, using technology which allows him to slowly spell out words: "It's not the result I was hoping for but it isn't entirely unexpected. Judges, like politicians, are happiest when they can avoid confronting the real issues and this judgement is not an exception to the rule. I believe the legal team acting on my behalf is prepared to go all the way with this but unfortunately for me it means yet another period of physical discomfort, misery and mental anguish while we find out who controls my life - me or the state".

This was what Mr Nicklinson wrote to the High Court: "I have no privacy or dignity left. I am washed, dressed and put to bed by carers who are, after all, still strangers. You try defecating to order whilst suspended in a sling over a commode and see how you get on.

"I am fed up with my life and don't want to spend the next 20 years or so like this.

"Am I grateful that the Athens doctors saved my life? No, I am not. If I had my time again, and knew then what I know now, I would not have called the ambulance but let nature take its course.

"I was given no choice as to whether or not I wanted to be saved. However, I do concede that it was a fair assumption given that I had asked for the ambulance and associated medical staff. What I object to is having my right to choose taken away from me after I had been saved."

He went on: "I'm not depressed so do not need counselling. I have had over six years to think about my future and it does not look good.

"I have locked-in syndrome and I can expect no cure or improvement in my condition as my muscles and joints seize up through lack of use.

"Indeed, I can expect to dribble my way into old age. If I am lucky I will acquire a life-threatening illness such as cancer so that I can refuse treatment and say no to those who would keep me alive against my will.

"By all means protect the vulnerable. By vulnerable I mean those who cannot make decisions for themselves - just don't include me."

Mr Nicklinson says he does not believe in God and believes those who do should not impose on him whether he has the right to live or die.

This question keeps coming into my mind. How cruel are we prepared to be as a society to be "kind"?

We are a country where there are regular calls for the death sentence to be put back on the statute book for murderers, yet this clearly intelligent, determined man whose life before the stroke was healthy and fruitful is doomed to the sort of living death which makes me shudder.

The alternative is putting his family through the horror of watching his lingering death from starvation.

We cannot keep avoiding the issue by sending our folk off to Switzerland or hoping the problem will go away.