Woman caught flesh-eating bug from garden soil

Louise Fawcett has returned to gardening as her recovery continues

A woman needed emergency surgery after catching a life-threatening infection from soil while gardening.

Louise Fawcett, 58, was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis - described by the NHS as a "flesh-eating disease" - after cutting her foot in her garden in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.

She required six operations plus a skin graft and spent three weeks in hospital.

Despite her ordeal, she told the BBC she had no plans to give up gardening.

Mrs Fawcett said she was originally given antibiotics by her doctor after her ankle swelled and she became unwell in April.

When her ankle continued to swell, she went to Chesterfield Royal Hospital where blood tests revealed she had the rare condition.

Louise Fawcett is still having physio on her ankle

She said six operations were required to remove the infection along with a skin graft.

"They [doctors] were saying 'we're going to have to take Louise into theatre and she might not survive this'," she said.

"I am quite a comic and I said 'what is the second best outcome' and they said 'you will probably lose your leg'."

Thankfully she avoided that fate but her slow recovery has involved crutches, physiotherapy and an ankle brace.

She has also returned to the spot where it all began.

"It was so lovely to get in my garden again - it really is good for the mind," she said.

"I do not want people to be paranoid. It is really, really rare.

"I have just got to be cautious and make sure I wear proper shoes and gardening gloves."

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