Dave O'Flaherty has loved music all his life. He taught himself to play the harmonica aged five and went on to play half a dozen instruments, performing as a folk singer/musician around the country.

But seven strokes has forced Keighley-born Dave, pictured, to relearn his music.

Despite not having any feeling on his left side, he continues to play music and has now released a CD. He describes music as his "saviour."

Dave, of Wibsey, is surrounded by a variety of musical instruments and several stacks of vinyl albums stretching to the ceiling.

He pulls out a Shruti Box - an odd-looking squeeze box which sounds a bit like bagpipes - and plays a little, to the delight of his beloved Cocker Spaniel Jake.

"I couldn't live without music," said Dave, who was born partially deaf. "My father was Irish and played the harmonica. As a child I loved listening to him and his friends playing traditional Irish music. I've never read music and was never interested in school - they played music by composers I couldn't stand. But I taught myself to play the Appalachian Dulcimers (a string instrument), the Shruti Box, accordion, harmonica and tin whistle."

Five years ago Dave suffered the first of seven strokes.

"It knocked me for six," he said. "I'd always kept fit - I was a keen cyclist - but they said I had high cholesterol. I couldn't believe I'd had a stroke. It was very frustrating not being able to do things I'd been used to, but I was determined to carry on with music."

Dave went on to have a series of strokes, leaving him unable to work. "I can't book gigs in advance because I don't know how my health will be," he said. "I could have another stroke at any time, I live for the day."

Dave suffered his last stroke in July last year, a month after completing his first CD, The Sea Around Us. "I'm no Gareth Gates - I don't have the stylists that today's stars have and I may never make another CD - but my heart is in my music!"

Dave's CD is available from HMV; The Music Room, Cleckheaton; The Den, Keighley; Hall of Sound, Halifax, and on mail order from 01773 850000.