FOR Spreyton resident Wendy Sincock it really is a case of life beginning at 40 because for two years she stared death in the face waiting for a kidney transplant.

Twenty-two months after receiving a life-saving operation at Bristol's Southmead Hospital Wendy is back fighting fit having just taken gold medals in track and field events at the British Transplant Games.

'I feel like I have been rebuilt — I am living again and it's wonderful,' she said.

Wendy first became ill in 1996 and after numerous tests she was diagnosed with a disease which had eaten away the filtration tubes in her kidneys.

Both her kidneys were failing but doctors thought it would be two years before she needed dialysis. Within eight weeks, however, she had to start the treatment because her body was being poisoned by all the toxins in her blood.

'I had to have a blood transfusion — it was very close to the knuckle — I almost died,' she said. 'The disease was more rapid than the doctors thought.'

Four times a day, Wendy had to cleanse her blood by pumping two litres of fluid into her peritoneum via a tube which had been inserted into her abdomen.

For a woman who swam regularly, played netball and ran a football team it was very hard to get used to.

'When I became ill I could not do anything,' she said. 'I could walk about 50 yards and then have to sit down and even talking on the telephone was a real effort.

'I was completely drained of energy and felt unwell all the time. The dialysis was keeping my body alive but I was not living really.'

In October 1998 a kidney became available but Wendy, who had been staying at a Welsh campsite with her sister, had to be tracked down by police in the middle of the night.

She explained: 'No-one was on reception at that time of night but the police had been given the registration number of my sister's car and luckily it was parked next to the caravan. I don't think they would ever have found us otherwise.'

Wendy had to be in Bristol within hours if she was to have the transplant and with time ticking away she was sped to the nearest Welsh hospital in a flashing police car before being transferred by ambulance to Southmead.

The transformation when she woke up from the operation was extraordinary: 'I woke up completely better and within three days I was walking.

'I had my 40th birthday in September and the transplant in October and I always say to people life really did begin at 40 for me.'

Wendy has praised 'each and every one' of Spreyton's residents for helping and supporting her through her illness.

'They used to help me with the dog and the housework, the shopping even peeling the potatoes,' she said. 'The village has been fantastic and I am now organising something in Spreyton myself to give something back.'

Now back working as a hairdresser, Wendy said taking part in the British Transplant Games in Newcastle, where she won medals in shotput, swimming and 800 metres, was 'absolutely wonderful'.

She was part of the Exeter team which came home with ten medals.

'There were all ages at the games from five upwards,' she added. 'To see little kids who have had heart and lung transplants running for that line like they have everything to run for is amazing.

'Transplantation has given life to all of us and I want to say thank-you to donors and their families because without them, I, and a lot of other people would not be as well as we are today.'