A mother has successfully climbed 100 mountains after she was diagnosed with a rare condition that made her lose the use of her legs.
Ann Wheeler, 57, suffers from cauda equine, a spinal condition that leaves her in constant pain.
The affliction struck when she damaged a bundle of nerves at the base of her spine, but doctors initially said the pain was sciatica.
Ms Wheeler said: “I kept going to the doctors and saying I can’t bend, and they were treating me for sciatica.
“I was getting worse and worse. It was going on for about a year. I was beginning to drag my legs, people were laughing at me saying Iâm drunk again.
“I went on holiday to Fuerteventura, I was walking back and my bowel just opened up in the street.
“I thought there was something seriously wrong and they flew me back.”
When she returned home, medics discovered Ann was paralysed in her bowel and bladder, before an MRI scan revealed the rare condition.
Doctors urged Ms Wheeler to undergo surgery immediately otherwise she could have been paralysed for days.
Following the five-hour procedure, she had to learn how you use her legs again, and was determined not to have to use a wheelchair.
At first she could hardly walk at all, but now she can or miles every day, making the most of her legs as she knows she can lose them at any point.
Now part of a walking group, she has climbed more than 100 mountains since April last year.
She said: “At first I nearly gave up.”
“I had good days and bad days and I pushed myself too much once and my legs had gone.
“It was horrible, but I got strong again and swimming keeps me okay.
“I’ll be in pain forever. It could come back, I know that.”
Since her ordeal, Ann has swum Coniston and Windermere lakes in Cumbria, to raise money for people with spinal conditions.
She said: âWindermere is ten-and-a-half miles. Ten hours later I came out the other end.
“Everybody just cheered me because they said they didn’t think I would do it.
“But I just do it for a challenge and to help people.
“I donât think Iâm doing anything special. I just want to help people with spinal problems.”