DOUBLE transplant athlete Justine Laymond, who cheated death to become a beacon of hope, has struck gold.

Justine, 37, from Broomfield, won the long jump at last week's Euro Heart and Lungs Transplant Games in Vaxjo, Sweden.

She also won Silver in the 400-metre sprint, the 100-metre relay and both the badminton singles and doubles; together with a Bronze in the 100-metre sprint.

Earlier this year she was again on death's doorstep after her kidneys stopped working.

"I was back in hospital in February after catching a virus and it laid me low for two months, but I am a fighter and I recovered," said Justine, who currently takes a cocktail of 20 tablets daily.

Justine, who is also a prolific abstract artist, is now looking forward to taking part in five events, including, for the first time, squash in the forthcoming British Transplant Games next month.

Justine had been terminally ill with a rare lung disease lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) before receiving a life-saving double lung transplant four years ago.

She said: "I would like to thank my sponsors Anglia Inspection Services as well as Riverside Ice and Leisure and Chelmsford Sports Athletics Centre for helping me with training facilities."

When she isn't training or painting, she campaigns to encourage organ donation.

She explained: "I would like everyone to take one or two minutes to think about being an organ donor to save people's lives, like it saved mine."