Strokes can be debilitating - and are a leading cause of disability and even death both across the UK and in the North East.
Though we often think of strokes as happening to older people, one in four happen to people of working age - and Samantha Jones, associate director of the Stroke Association in the North East and Yorkshire, warned we should all be watchful for the signs and symptoms.
Samantha added that people in the North East should put aside any notion of being able to "lie down" and wait out the symptoms of a stroke. It's vital to ask for help as soon as possible if you or a loved one experiences signs of stroke.
