A BRAVE mum had to have 30 per cent of her torso amputated to save her life after contracting a rare flesh-eating bug.

When Becky Felton, 31, of Porters Field, Braintree, complained of pain in her shoulder on February 17, neither her nor her husband, Chris, could have imagined that just days later she would be fighting for her life after being diagnosed with the flesh-eating infection Necrotising Fasciitis.

She was taken to Broomfield A and E in Chelmsford and rushed straight to a doctor. Chris said: “Her blood pressure was so low her body had gone into toxic shock and all her organs had started shutting down.

"She went for a CT scan and they found abnormalities which suggested an abscess so the next day I was called and told she needed surgery.

“But when I got there I had a call saying that she had Necrotising Fasciitis in the left of her torso. It’s an infection on your skin or muscle, it progresses an inch an hour.

“The only cure is to cut it away so she lost 30 per cent of her torso." 

Becky was kept under sedation while she had more operations to prevent the infection spreading but was eventually woken on March 1. In April, she had a skin graft taken from her legs to cover her wound and is now waiting for more reconstructive surgery.

The couple are now working with The Lee Spark NF Foundation to raise awareness of the infection.

Chris will be taking part in the National Three Peak Challenge to raise money for the foundation. Visit virginmoneygiving.com/3peakcrew and for more information on NF visit: nfsuk.org.uk