A North-East mother who flew to the United States in an effort to beat a crippling medical condition has returned with fresh hope.

Ann Teasdale was in the depths of despair before a massive fundraising campaign in her home town of Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, to send her to Texas for revolutionary treatment.

The young mother-of-four had already had one leg amputated after contracting the rare condition Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSDS) and as it spread she faced the terrifying prospect of losing her other leg.

The three months of treatment she has received has not gone as smoothly as she had hoped, she is still in great pain and not yet able to walk - but at least now she has a glimmer of hope.

Mrs Teasdale, 42, received treatment every day at the clinic of Dr Donald Rhodes, which involved regular sessions on the STS Dynatron machine he has developed.

He also weaned her off the pain-killing drugs she was taking, including morphine, which has led to some withdrawal symptoms.

The process was painful and involved a lot of blood, sweat, tears and tantrums, made even worse because Mrs Teasdale badly missed her family.

She said: "It was definitely a tough time. There was many a time I would have given in and come home.

"I used to cry that I'd had enough and couldn't take it any more, but deep down I knew it was my only chance and I had to stick it out."

Mrs Teasdale started walking with a prosthetic limb, but had to stop because the boot she had to wear on her other leg was damaging her foot.

She hopes that with further treatment the foot will improve and she can try again with the false leg.

Now she is home, Dr Rhodes will continue to control Mrs Teasdale's treatment via fax messages.

She will monitor her pain levels every day, after which he will advise where and for how long to administer the Dynatron machine she has brought home with her.

Mrs Teasdale is still unsure about what the future holds, adding: "I don't know what to think. I'm still scared that nothing's going to happen, but I'm the sort of person who wants thing to happen yesterday."

Her husband Mick is more upbeat. He said: "Dr Rhodes has done more than anyone we've seen. Ann is a lot brighter than she was, her eyes say it all."

There is still money in the pot from the £30,000 raised to pay for the treatment and that will continue to help Mrs Teasdale battle the condition.

She said: "I have to say a big thank you to everyone who has given me this chance."