A TIRELESS Menstrie woman has raised £5000 with a charity run just six months after a devastating stroke left her unable to walk.

Lynne McGregor, 48, joined friends and family on the four-mile route from her home in Clacks to the Birds and Bees restaurant in Causewayhead, earlier this month.

On New Year's Day, she was struck down by a stroke after the rapid onset of bacterial meningitis.

In the end, the infection proved so destructive that she was left deaf, unable to walk and with damage to her eye sight.

For Lynne, a health-enthusiast who would run 26 miles a week and attend insanity work out classes almost every day, the impact was crushing.

However, after five weeks in hospital and a few months recuperation at home, Lynne became determined to reclaim her life and set herself the arduous task of running the four miles on the six month anniversary of her stroke.

And on July 1, she completed the run, with help from friends and family, while also helping to raise thousands for stroke and meningitis research.

After completing the run, Lynne told the Advertiser: "Leading up to the run I became more and more nervous that I could do it. I knew I had to as so many people had put faith and trust in me.

"I was tied to my son by the left forearm to stop me falling over, after about two miles I was obviously wobbling more and more and my friend appeared to support me on the right side. They constantly supported and encouraged me.

"About 50m out they both let me go and told me to finish on my own – what an amazingly feeling."

Lynne's previously said that someone had "came along and tore up my life on January 1" but she nevertheless refused to let her illness keep her down.

She was keen to highlight the speed with which meningitis can take hold, but also wanted anyone else affected by the disease to know they can recover and reclaim their independence.

She added: "They whole day was so emotional, it was the final end to the first six months of recovery.

"The next six will almost be harder as the recovery will be slower. The steps forward will be small but still forward and will still reach the end point. It will just take a little longer."

Lynne was able to raise a little more than £2000 each for Meningitis Research and The Stroke Association.

And with additional funds donated through gift aid, the grand total came to around £5000.

She also has her sights set on running the Glasgow 10k next June, but before then will be taking on another personal challenge with a friend.

They will both be climbing Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh this Easter with a view to rolling Easter eggs down the hillside next spring.

To view a video of the final stretch of Lynne's run, click here.