Flesh-eating bug attacks gardener

Tracy Marjoram was put in intensive care at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital

A woman has said she is lucky to be alive after her face was attacked by a flesh-eating bug.

Tracy Marjoram, of Dereham, Norfolk, was tending her allotment in June 2005 when she felt an itch in her eye.

The mother-of-two was diagnosed with rare necrotising fasciitis bacteria and put in Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital's intensive care unit.

Despite losing her upper cheek, the 42-year-old said she feels lucky to be alive as the bug can be fatal.

Necrotising fasciitis is a rare bacterial infection that can destroy skin and the soft tissues beneath it, including fat and the tissue covering the muscles.

Once the disease has spread to the neck and chest, there is a 90% chance of dying Bijan Beigi, surgeon

A hospital spokeswoman said it was not known how Mrs Marjoram became infected.

Surgeons operated on the infected tissue and Mrs Marjoram then went through three operations to reconstruct her face.

"I owe [the surgeon] my life, and the staff..." Mrs Marjoram said. "I felt like a freak when I first came out of hospital."

Surgeon Bijan Beigi, who performs 500 eyelid and face operations a year, said he had only seen five similar cases in the last 10 years.

"Once the disease has spread to the neck and chest, there is a 90% chance of dying," he said.

"Going through that and coming out of it is an achievement for her."