A COUPLE who have been married for 63 years could be forced apart because of NHS cost-cutting.

Irene and Arnold Holroyd, of Newsome, married in 1941 and have been inseparable ever since.

But two years ago after the death of her sister 82-year-old Irene began to suffer memory loss and the early signs of dementia.

She was prescribed the drug Aricept and later Reminyl which meant she could continue living with her husband.

Now the NHS could start charging her - and the couple could not afford to pay for the drugs.

Her daughter Marlene Hallas, 55, of Newsome, is distraught and convinced that without the drugs, her mother would have to go into a care home.

She said: "These drugs have made a real difference to my mum - she can live a near normal life.

"She still has symptoms of course but she is well enough to live at home with my dad. If the drugs go she will be taken into a home.

"That could mean my parents being split up which breaks my heart and will devastate both of them.

"They cost just £2.50 a day but give my mum a quality of life she won't have without them. How can they take drugs that are making people's lives better away because they cost too much?

"The NHS spends far more money on drugs like Viagra but cuts back on treatments for the elderly - it is disgusting."

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) released guidance on the drugs last week claiming they were too expensive.

More than 700,000 people in the UK suffer from Alzheimer's and although there is no cure patients and doctors claim the drugs have proved successful in slowing and reducing deterioration in sufferers.

Mrs Hallas, a mother of two, is now calling for the Government to reconsider and even pledge more cash for research in to the illness.

"It has been said that patients who are already being treated might not have the drug taken away which is good news for my mum but what about the thousands of others?" she said.

"It started with mum after her sister died. They were very close and the stress of that time just seemed to bring it out.

"It is awful to see someone you love so much suffer like that and become confused. You can see it in her eyes when she is not clear about what is going on.

"My dad is not a well man either and they rely on each other. I dread to think what would happen if they were separated."

Janet Dudley of Huddersfield Alzheimer's Society said: "We are deeply concerned about this proposal.

"I would ask everyone in Huddersfield affected by this issue to contact NICE to tell them why these drugs are so vital for people with Alzheimer's."

ARICEPT, Reminyl and Exelon compensate for low levels of a chemical called acetylcholine in the brain.

This chemical allows nerve cells to communicate in the brain, which is why dementia sufferers are forgetful and often confused.

The drugs stop an enzyme called acetylcholinerase from breaking down the chemical and can temporarily stabilise the symptoms of Alzheimer's.

Aricept, also known as donepezil hydrochloride, was the first drug to be licensed in the UK in 1997 for mild to moderate sufferers.

It is the most popular drug and is used by more than 37,000 in the UK. A month's treatment costs from £64 to £89.

Reminyl - pharmaceutical name galantamine - was launched in 2000. It has the advantage of acting on different receptors in the brain.

It is a compound which counters memory loss, personality changes and behavioural problems.

Exelon - known as rivastigmine - was the second drug to be licensed. Taken twice daily, it costs £34 a month.