A nine-year-old boy with a life-limiting muscle wasting condition has met with the First Minister to highlight his family's campaign for NHS access to new medication.

Michael Young, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, delivered a handwritten letter to Nicola Sturgeon during a meeting at Holyrood asking for help to make sure the medication Translarna reaches all boys in Scotland with his condition.

The youngster, from Larbert near Falkirk, was joined by his parents and backed by the charity Muscular Dystrophy UK as he spent around half-an-hour with Ms Sturgeon explaining how the treatment could help him and others keep walking for longer.

The drug has been available to boys in some other European countries for more than a year and Michael took part in a clinical trial to help develop it.

In October last year, a four-year-old East Lothian boy became the first child to receive the drug through the NHS following a successful Individual Funding Request to Lothian Health Board.

The severe and progressive condition causes irreversible muscle damage, with many children needing a wheelchair by the time they are eight or nine.

Problems with heart and lung muscles mean that few people born with Duchenne muscular dystrophy currently live to 30.

In his letter, Michael wrote: "I need your help. I have medicine called Translarna. Some boys have the same problem as me but don't get the medicine.

"We need (you and me) to help Duchenne boys, because it is not something that a lot of people know about and the boys need medicine."

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "It was lovely to meet Nicola Sturgeon. She was really friendly and I hope she can help boys like me in Scotland.''

Michael's mother Michelle said: "We are so proud of Michael, who spoke brilliantly throughout the day. Living with Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a lot for a young boy to deal with.

"Michael knows that medication can keep him and other boys like him walking for longer, which is why today was so important.''

Ms Sturgeon said it was "an absolute delight" to meet the youngster.

"He's a really impressive and brave young man campaigning not just for himself but for other young boys with Duchenne," she added.

"I was able to explain to Michael and his parents that the SMC (Scottish Medicines Consortium) has received a submission from the pharmaceutical company and can now assess if the drug is suitable for routine use in the NHS in Scotland.

"Understandably, this process is undertaken by experts and has to be entirely independent of government and ministers.

"We were disappointed that the pharmaceutical company took so long to put forward a submission on this drug to the SMC and we have previously urged them to put forward a good quality submission with a fair offering of price."

She said the Government has taken "significant steps" to improve access to new treatments for patients with rare conditions and has made changes to the way the SMC assesses these types of drugs.

Robert Meadowcroft, chief executive of Muscular Dystrophy UK, said: "While today's meeting should be celebrated, it is appalling that families are having to battle to secure this licensed medication in the first place.

"We urge the SMC to support Translarna and give these children the chance of extra time on their feet."

A spokesman for SMC confirmed it is currently assessing a submission.