LYNN Ashton, the woman who walked the London Marathon pushing her oxygen cylinder, has had a life-changing double lung transplant. The 47-year-old from Hartford has battled with a lung condition for the past eight years. However, the mother and grandmothe

LYNN Ashton, the woman who walked the London Marathon pushing her oxygen cylinder, has had a life-changing double lung transplant.

The 47-year-old from Hartford has battled with a lung condition for the past eight years.

However, the mother and grandmother made headlines two years ago when she raised over £14,000 for the British Lung Foundation through sponsored walks - including the London Marathon - taking her air supply with her on a trolley. Mrs Ashton also set up her own local group to help other people with lung conditions to show, as she said, that life must go on.

Now she can breathe unaided and she told The Hunts Post on Monday that she was about to use the gym at Papworth Hospital as part of her recovery.

Mrs Ashton, who had the operation on May 21, said: "It is just brilliant. I have had good days and not so good days but it's wonderful.

"It's early days but I'm able to walk a little circle round the ward and I am going to try out the gym at the hospital for some gentle exercise."

Mrs Ashton said her condition had deteriorated in the past six months so that she could only go on her scooter. However, she was on the transplant list for just three weeks when a donor became available.

She said: "I can't believe how many messages and cards I have had and it is wonderful that I will be able to do all the ordinary things that everyone takes for granted. I am so grateful."

Mrs Ashton developed lung disease when she inhaled fumes being given off from a burning plastic tablecloth. The cloth caught fire one Christmas after a candle had been left burning on the lunch table.

Until the transplant, oxygen was being fed straight into her throat by a tube device which looked like a necklace.

After taking five days to walk the London Marathon in April 2006 - and raising £8,000 for the British Lung Association, accompanied for the last few miles by her twin daughters, Laura and Louise, then 26, she said: "I decided I could either just sit down and decide my life was over or I could get up and do something and make the most of my life."

She then became the BBC on-line face of the week for her marathon achievement.