A MOTHER-OF-TWO said that she almost died after being struck down with the killer MRSA superbug four times at the same hospital.

Diane Jackson, 32, told a national newspaper that she caught the drug-resistant bug four times over a period of 13 years after treatment at the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton, for a variety of medical problems.

A spokesman for the hospital - now part of the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust - said Mrs Jackson had not made a formal complaint or contacted them and stressed they now have a good record on fighting the superbug.

Mrs Jackson told The Sun that on one occasion the infection was so serious that she had to have antibiotics pumped into her chest to keep her alive.

"It was a nightmare. I am so lucky to be alive," she said.

According to the report, the first MRSA infection happened in the mid-1990s when she was pregnant with her first child, Daniel, who is now 13.

Mrs Jackson needed a series of operations because of damage to her spine and pelvis.

Each time, she claims that she developed the potentially dangerous drug-resistant form of hospital infection.

Mrs Jackson called for greater efforts to reduce the rate of MRSA infection.

A spokesman for the North Tees and Hartlepool Trust said: "We can confirm that Ms Jackson has not been in contact with us regarding her past situation, if she would like to discuss issues around hospital acquired infections with us, we would encourage her to get in direct touch with our Infection Control Team.

"We have a very strict MRSA control programme and this is demonstrated by our recent standing in the national MRSA league tables - where we were ranked seventh best NHS Trust in the country for low levels of MRSA."