75974-18AS Joe Culkin glances at his wedding photo he feels a sense of bereavement. For the 65-year-old woman rummaging through her handbag for a lost purse is a stranger.

It's 43 years since Joe wedded his childhood sweetheart Phyllis.

But there are days when she fails to even recognise him.

Phyllis was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2003 and her deterioration has been rapid.

Joe, also 65, quit work in October 2002 to become her full-time carer.

And although he is clearly devoted to his wife, he admits that there are times when he comes close to breaking point.

Now after a series of well-attended public meetings, he has helped set up a support group.

The work, which has received the support of North Swindon MP Michael Wills, has enabled him to channel some of his emotions into something positive.

The Swindon branch of the Alzheimer's Disease Society will be officially launched in June.

And the former management consultant, from Nythe, who has been elected chairman, believes it is long overdue.

"We're one of the biggest towns in Wiltshire yet sufferers in Swindon don't have a support group," said Joe.

"There is a lot of demand. I was encouraged and absolutely delighted by the attendance at a public meeting held at the Pilgrim Centre in October. More than 50 people turned up."

Although the couple, who have two grandchildren, attend regular appointments at Victoria Hospital's memory clinic and receive help from the Swindon Carers' Centre, Joe says a support network run by those with first-hand experience of the conditions is crucial.

He said: "Alzheimer's really is one of the most devastating conditions there is. Outwardly Phyllis looks healthy that's the problem.

"There is constantly this sense of grieving. I've lost the person that I loved. She just isn't the same. She was once the kindest and most unselfish person I knew. Now she is demanding, aggressive and restless.

"The speed with which this has consumed her has been remarkable. People say it's a gradual process but not in our case.

"Alzheimer's is one of those illnesses that affects people in different ways."

Most people his age would relish a night at home in front of the television. But not Joe.

He said: "That is my idea of a nightmare. She doesn't even recognise her home and when we're there she is constantly looking for things that are lost.

"There is a lot of repetitive behaviour like rummaging through her handbag for her purse or constantly going to the toilet.

"At breakfast I asked her for the milk and she couldn't tell me where it was. This is the same woman who used to kick me out of the kitchen for getting in her way."

A venue for the group has yet to be fixed. In the meantime, anyone wanting support is invited to call Joe on 01793 642956.

Alzheimer's notes

ABOUT 450,000 people in the UK have Alzheimer's a disease which destroys cells in the brain, disrupting the transmitters that carry messages to the brain.

Age is one of the most significant factors. The chances of being affected are fewer than one in 1,000 under the age of 65, rising to one in five over the age of 80. However, younger people can also suffer from the condition.

The youngest-known sufferer is 30 and it's estimated about 18,500 people under 65 have some form of dementia.

Symptoms include: lack of concentration, confusion about time and place, self neglect, restlessness, mood swings, hallucinations or delusions.

The Alzheimer's Society has a helpline for sufferers and their families or carers.

The number is 0845 300 0336.