MORE people in the West of Scotland are to be screened for an inherited heart condition that can cause sudden death.

The family of Sir David Frost and the British Heart Foundation have launched a UK-wide genetic testing service which will allow an extra 800 people a year to be screened for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).

The condition can cause a cardiac arrest without warning and was responsible for the death of Sir David's son Miles Frost in July 2015.

It also led to the death of Motherwell and Celtic footballer Phil O'Donnell at the age of 35 after he collapsed during a match on December 29, 2007.

The British Heart Foundation, estimates that up to 120,000 people across the UK, could be living with HCM, the majority of whom are undiagnosed.

Although Sir David didn’t die of HCM, his post mortem found the disease was present, however Miles and his brothers, Wilf and George, were not tested at the time.

Six testing centres have been launched across the UK in Glasgow at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, South Wales, Sheffield, Belfast, London and Oxford.

Estimates suggest around 5,242 people in the West of Scotland are affected by HCM.

Funding will be provided for two part-time Cardiomyopathy specialist nurse to help identify more people at risk.

HCM is a condition in which the muscle of the heart is abnormally thickened without any obvious cause.

Immediate family members of those who test positive to having the gene have a 50% chance of inheriting the gene themselves.

Symptoms, including irregular heartbeat and chest pain when exercising, typically emerge in late teenage years or young adulthood, but can occur at any age.

The Miles Frost Fund and the BHF has raised £1.5milion to fund 14 specialist cardiac genetic nurses, counsellors and family co-ordinators at the existing Inherited Cardiac Conditions services at the six sites.

Wilfred Frost, younger brother of Miles Frost, said: “When Dad died we were all just in complete shock, and when Miles died it was even worse. To lose someone so young, who in the prime of his life, has been and still is hard to take. We miss him every day.

“We’re determined to look forward and help prevent other families from experiencing the heartache we have which is why we’re incredibly proud to roll out this new service. If we can prevent just one person suffering the same fate as Miles, then his death will not have been in vain.”

Simon Gillespie, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation, said: “BHF researchers were among the first to find the faulty genes underlying the deadly heart condition which caused the tragic death of Miles Frost. Thanks to this pioneering discovery, genetic testing for HCM and other inherited heart conditions is now available in the UK.

“By working with the Frost family to establish a fully functional, UK-wide cascade testing service for parents, siblings and children who could be at risk, our aim is to ensure people who have HCM are identified and treated to prevent a needless loss of life.”