A little boy whose dad was diagnosed with dementia as he started primary school has appeared on TV today to help raise awareness that young people can have the condition too.

Ian Fraser was diagnosed with early onset dementia in October 2013 when he was just 47.

The condition not only affects memory but also movement, balance and speech, Ian, now 49, is deteriorating rapidly. He cannot dress himself and some days he struggles even to tie his shoelaces.

His son Tommy, seven, and wife Kelly, who is his full time carer, were on Good Morning Britain today (Wednesday).

The ITV breakfast programme visited their home in Downland Walk, Walderslade, to film the whole family, including Ian, before Tommy and Kelly travelled to London today to appear on the show live.

They spoke to hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid about Ian's condition and how it has affected them. Tommy told the presenters he missed playing with his daddy.

Kelly, 40, said: “By talking about dementia as a family, we can raise awareness that it is not just old people it affects, it is young people with young families too.

“Maybe it will make people think and if we can get those people to put a few pounds in a collection pot at a supermarket, then every penny raised can help find a cure.”

Tommy held a fundraising day at his school, Maundene Primary, to support Dementia UK’s Red Lippy Day and collected £1,000.