Tony Nicklinson, who has locked-in sydrome, with wife Jane. Picture: SWNS

A former Kent rugby player who wants the right to lawfully end his life is taking his battle to the High Court today.

Father-of-two Tony Nicklinson, 57, was left paralysed from the neck down and 'locked' in his body following a catastrophic stroke five years ago.

The former Cranbrook player is unable to speak and can only move his head and blink.

A High Court judge ruled in March that Mr Nicklinson could proceed with his legal action in the courts - despite opposition from the Justice Ministry which contended it was an issue for Parliament to decide.

Speaking after the judgement, Mr Nicklinson's wife Jane said she was delighted his dying could now be aired in court.

At the time she told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: "We are asking for it to be legal for someone to end his life.

"The only way to relieve Tony's suffering is to kill him. There's nothing else that can be done for him."

She said her husband did not want to die immediately but was seeking a way out when the time came.

"It's what he wants and we are behind him. He realises as he gets older things are going to get worse. Twenty years ago Tony would have died.

"But people are being kept alive with such terrible conditions. Medical practice has become so much better but the law has not progressed."

Gezz Higgins, 79, from Park Lane, Cranbrook, who played alongside Tony, said he lit up the room when he walked in and was a very good rugby player.

Mr Higgins said: "We always called him Royals. His headmaster gave him that nickname as Tony's father was in the Royal Marines and the head was a friend of his dad.

"He used to play second row and a lot of players who came from Maidstone and Gillingham remember him well. I have every sympathy and he should be granted his wish."

Tony Nicklinson had a stroke in 2005 and now suffers from a condition called 'locked-in syndrome', which means he has almost no muscle movement.

He has been able to communicate on Twitter using his eyelids.