A rare type of moss could be more effective than medicinal cannabis at relieving pain, according to new research.

Researchers at the University of Bern have been investigating the medicinal properties of the liverwort plant Redula Perrottetii which contains a substance similar to that found in the illegal narcotic.

The tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) found in cannabis can be used in the medical field to deal with certain types of pain, muscle cramps, dizziness and loss of appetite.

The research team in Switzerland, led by Professor Jurg Gertsch, have been exploring the medical uses of "perrottetinene" found in the rare liverwort, which only grows in Japan, New Zealand and Costa Rica.

Cannabis is illegal in the UK, but Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced earlier this year that doctors in England, Wales and Scotland, will be able to prescribe it medicinally on a case-by-case basis.

The landmark reform came after two heartbreaking and high profile cases of medicinal cannabis helping children suffering from severe epilepsy - and how their mothers fought for them to take it in the UK.