HOT on the heels of the British Olympic success a group of athletes stepped on the podium yesterday to collect medals marking their own equivalent.

Competitors in the Spinal Rehabilitation Programme Olympic Challenge 200 are hospital patients undergoing a revolutionary programme of treatment for chronic back pain.

Only a few weeks ago, each one was severely limited by their medical condition in terms of lifestyle and expectations.

They faced the prospect of never working again and had little or no social life. Some could barely walk the length of a room.

With help from the Spinal Rehabilitation Programme, run by the Cleveland Nuffield Hospital, Norton, and the David Lloyd Centre in Stockton, each one has successfully competed against the clock in events for the Spinal Rehabilitation Programme Olympic Challenge 2000, including 2km speed walking, 2km speed cycling, 1,500m rowing, endurance cycling and volleyball.

One athlete, Maxine Robinson, 40, Mayor of Sedgefield, has endured nine years of almost constant pain and limited physical ability since injuring her back while working as a nurse.

She said: "I couldn't walk without support. My self-care skills were very limited and I had no social life. Today, I can bathe myself for the first time in ages. The pain has not gone away, but because I have the remedies and the knowledge, it is manageable."

Mike Goodison, 49, an electrical technician, spent two agonising days on morphine before being airlifted to hospital from the oil rig where he fell 16ft down steel steps, suffering a double prolapsed disc.

He said: "Frankly, I was in a hell of a mess before joining the SRP programme. The olympics have been a lot of fun, and when I think about where we have come from, there is a real sense of achievement in getting the medals."

Physiotherapist, Lisa Wood said: "The olympics have been a fun event which have given the patients something else to work towards."