Thousands of people in Glasgow may be unaware they are suffering from a serious auto-immune disease that can cause cancer, a charity has warned.

A campaign will be launched today in the city centre aimed at raise awareness of the symptoms of Coeliac disease to help improve diagnosis rates.

Testing for the disease will be available for anyone found to be particularly at risk.

Coeliac disease is caused by the body’s immune system damaging the lining of the small bowel when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, is eaten.

There is no cure and no medication; the only treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life.

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Left untreated, coeliac disease can lead to osteoporosis and small bowel cancer.

In the NHS Glasgow & Clyde Health Board area, it is estimated that nearly 12,000 people have coeliac disease but only around a quarter have a diagnosis leaving around 9,000 people struggling with the symptoms.

Key symptoms include frequent bouts of diarrhoea, stomach pain and cramping, regular mouth ulcers, ongoing fatigue, lots of gas and bloating, nausea and vomiting, and unexplained anaemia.

Zilai Beg, 34, from Newlands was diagnosed after her symptoms became so severe that she could not walk.

She said: "I was taken ill in Jan 2014 after eating garlic bread from a restaurant and the doctor diagnosed it as a stomach bug.

"My condition worsened and I was taken into hospital where I stayed for three weeks.

"Throughout my illness, I continued to eat gluten foods – even in the hospitals who did not investigate my symptoms of inflammation and joint swelling.

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" My symptoms worsened and I starting losing rapid weight. Eventually I was referred to a consultant who took bloods tests and conducted an endoscopy but the results still did not confirm coeliac so I was sent home.

"Again after eating a normal diet and still in pain, a few weeks later I was back in hospital with the same symptoms but this time at a more aggressive rate.

"After my third admittance into hospital, when the joint inflammation had got so bad that I could not walk, I was put on medication for the inflammation and given steroids. I was then advised to try gluten free and eventually in April 2014 I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease.

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"It is not hereditary in my family and I have never had any history of the symptoms before."

Myles Fitt, Scotland Lead at Coeliac UK said: “It’s horrendous that so many people are still undiagnosed which is why we are actively going out into communities like Glasgow to bring more attention to the condition."

The charity will be hosting an advice roadshow on Buchanan Street until Friday June 10.

For more information visit www.isitcoeliacdisease.org.uk