BARRY brachytherapy campaigner David Powell said he is "absolutely elated" with the news that the prostate cancer treatment is now going to be made available in Wales.

It was announced on Tuesday that the Welsh Assembly Government has made funding available for the therapy at Velindre Hospital, in Cardiff.

Prostate cancer sufferers in Wales were previously denied the treatment - unlike their English counterparts.

Mr Powell, 54, of Radnor Green, was diagnosed with the illness last January.

He managed to receive brachytherapy at a Leeds Hospital in August - and afterwards vowed that he would campaign to bring the treatment to his country.

In October, Mr Powell set up a phone line to help fellow prostate cancer sufferers and discuss brachytherapy treatment, or the lack of it. This venture was supported by rugby legend Bobby Windsor, herceptin campaigner Jayne Sullivan, and the chair of the PRO-CARE prostrate cancer support group Terry Bevan.

Mr Powell said on Wednesday: "I am absolutely elated with the news. We fought so hard and got this for the people of Wales.

"A lot of men in Wales are going to sleep easier tonight with this around the corner.

"But we are still concerned, because when we went to the meeting at Velindre (on Tuesday) the chief executive said the treatment would not be made available until August.

"I understand that it is going to take time to get the equipment ready and train the staff up. But there are a lot of people ready to have brachytherapy now and might not be in six months time.

"By that time the cancer might have spread to other parts of their bodies, and that would be a whole different ball game.

"In the meantime, we feel that Welsh men should have their treatment paid for in England. We will carry on our campaign for this."

Chief executive of Velindre NHS Trust, Paul Miller, said: "We very much welcome the news that the Welsh Assembly Govern-ment is making funding available for Velindre NHS Trust to provide brachytherapy for prostate cancer.

"We look forward to agreeing the details as soon as possible to set up a service for the residents of Wales in the near future."

* Brachytherapy treatment is an alternative to surgery and standard radiotherapy for prostate cancer, and involves radioactive 'seeds' being implanted directly into the prostate gland.

It involves only one visit to hospital - compared with 30 visits for conventional radiotherapy - and does not have as many side effects.

Those side effects from conventional radiotherapy include impotency, which can put relationships under great strain.