As many as 300,000 people in Ireland are suffering from the disease COPD which is still a relatively unknown disease in the country. Another one-third people who were tested by the British Lung Foundation in Wales were sent in for more extensive medical examinations.

The test results suggested that true extent of lung problems in Wales along with BLF Wales said today that the routine test should be made accessible to everyone over 35 in an effort to find millions who suffer from lung conditions.

"The results show one in five of the people we tested had a lung function reading which was below what it should be. Not all of them will necessarily have a lung condition," said Chris Mulholland, head of BLF Wales.

Around 500 people between the ages of 18 to 85 participated in the lung tests at a series of 12 road shows conducted by BLF Wales around the whole country.

Brian Lawley staying in Swansea who is also suffering from COPD said that when one starts to become short of breath on a day to day basis one assumes that they are just getting older.