97-year-old great-grandma from Walton beats coronavirus

Gladys Pye, a resident at Victoria House Care Home in Grappenhall, collapsed on April 7 and was rushed into Warrington Hospital.

She was diagnosed with pneumonia and had a high temperature.

Gladys tested positive for Covid-19 and her family were told by medical staff that although she was comfortable, it could go either way.

Gladys Pye

Rob Pye, Gladys's son, said: "The NHS staff at Warrington Hospital were wonderful and kept us informed daily of her progress.

"To our astonishment we were told on Wednesday that she was fine and had recovered and on Thursday she has returned to Victoria House where the carers are fantastic."

Gladys with her family

Gladys has now survived breast cancer, a replacement hip and numerous other ailments in addition to Covid-19.

Rob added: "Her father, a farmer, lived to 93 despite being a chain smoker for more than 60 years and I have survived being told I had a week to live in 1979 after being diagnosed with leukaemia and now suffer from kidney disease which is thankfully under control.

"So we are a family of survivors thanks to the NHS who do such a fabulous job.

"She is still improving but not very happy about being confined to her room and has lost a lot of weight.

"Victoria House have been superb and but it will take a while for her to look better – she now needs to eat more to put the weight back on.

"She’s tough and like I said, she is a battler."

Gladys, who is a mum-of-two to Rob Pye and Janet Simpson, has three grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Born at Bell House Farm in Walton, she moved to Moore in 1951 when her dad retired from farming.

In 1983, she moved to Ellesmere Road in Walton and after her hip operation in 2010/11 she sold her house and moved in with Rob and his wife Barbara.

The couple converted their garage into a granny flat for Gladys.

It was in June last year that due to a TIA mini stroke, Gladys lost a lot of mobility and had to move to Victoria House Care Home in Grappenhall.