A YOUNG father who was diagnosed with an incurable brain condition has been forced to sell his livelihood after building it up from nothing.

A YOUNG father who was diagnosed with an incurable brain condition has been forced to sell his livelihood after building it up from nothing.

Shane Tucker, 22, established his caf�, The Coffee Shop, in Brandon two years ago and built it up into a popular and thriving business.

But he was forced to put it on the market after doctors told him the strain of working in the caf� could make his condition worse.

Mr Tucker was diagnosed in November last year with a combination of fibromyalgia, which is chronic widespread pain and fatigue, and a brain impairment which means he has difficulty processing pain. It leaves him with memory loss, blackouts, fatigue, anxiety and severe pain throughout his body. Although he has been prescribed pain relief there is no known cure. It is thought the debilitating condition will get progressively worse.

Mr Tucker, who married his fianc�e Sophie in September and has a one-year-old daughter Honey and five-year-old stepson Mason, said: “I've had pain all over my body all my life but when it started spreading to my fingers and I couldn't hold anything I went to the doctor,” he said. “It took them ages to figure it out and in November I got my diagnosis.

“It's basically impaired pain processing and what happens is my brain is blocking off signals and creating chemicals. With me the pain seems as if it's constantly getting worse.

“When you're in pain it gets you down but they don't know a lot about it. It feels like you're dragging a brick behind you and this place (The Coffee Shop) is too much.”

Mr Tucker, who lives with his family on Thetford Road, Brandon, began leasing the building in 2008 when it was originally a computer shop. It was completely refurbished and now serves breakfast and lunch to most of the town, six days a week.

“It took more than a month and it never felt like it was coming together until the week before we opened,” he said. “We've improved it ever since.

“It was heartbreaking when I found out I had to sell this place. It's my baby and I've worked hard for it but now I want to do things for my family before I can't. I want to go on holiday and go on honeymoon.”

Once the caf� is sold, Mr Tucker will concentrate on his two internet businesses, one which is already up and running called www.brandon-electrics.co.uk, which offers electrical items at low prices and a postal business which is currently in the pipeline.

Anyone interested in finding out more about buying the caf� should contact Mr Tucker on 07769 313470.