A former British trampolining champion left disabled after fracturing her spine is now battling breast cancer.

Natalie Burr, from Coxheath, near Maidstone, won a bronze medal for the UK at the European Championships held in St Petersburg, Russia, in 2002. She also competed for Britain at the World Championships in Eindhoven in 2005.

But on February 24, 2007, she fractured her spine during a training accident, which left her permanently disabled. She now uses crutches to get about the house and has to revert to a wheelchair for tiring longer journeys.

Just a year later, complications from life-saving surgery left her fighting a brain infection caused by metalwork in her neck. She had to have a further operation to have the metalwork removed.

She continued to face all adversity with courage and strength, saying: “Life keeps going on. You just have to deal with whatever you are given.”

But now she has suffered yet another blow, with a devastating diagnosis of aggressive breast cancer.

After a four-month course of chemotherapy, she has had to undergo two operations to remove the tumour and surrounding lymph nodes.

She is currently at home after surgery, but is facing repeated rounds of chemotherapy.

Her friend, Laura Hollands, said: “I’ve known Natalie since we were at school together at MGGS [Maidstone Grammar School for Girls]- in fact, before that, we even went to the same gym club when we were four.

“She was always an outstanding character. At school, she would travel regularly to Bracknell to train, and I remember her going to South Africa to compete. Yet despite all the time she devoted to her sport, she somehow still managed to get top grades.

“Natalie has spent her entire life giving to others - before her accident, she was a paramedic.

“Then, when she broke her spine practising a triple somersault, she was initially told she would never walk again.

“But being Natalie, she did, though she was had mobility limitations and weakness in her right side.

“She couldn’t go back to being a paramedic, so she joined the fire service, where she teaches first aid to firefighters.”

Natalie, 42, is now married to Shane, also an emergency worker, and they have two daughters, aged 12 and nine.

Natalie said: “Things had settled down after my accident and I was getting by, before being given this latest diagnosis.

“It has been a very worrying and stressful time.

“It was difficult to tell our children. Obviously, they were very upset at the time, but we have always believed in honesty.”

Natalie is now facing four weeks of radiotherapy, followed by targeted chemotherapy every three weeks.

Even after that, she is likely to be on hormone tablets for 10 years.

Laura has launched a Go Fund Me online appeal to help raise £10,000 to support Natalie and her family.

She said: “Natalie rarely complains and never makes a fuss, but of course she is worried for the future and for her kids and husband.

“The goal is to support Natalie and her family with the additional costs of living with a disability, while undergoing cancer treatment.

“This includes helping cover travel to appointments, specialised care needs, adaptive equipment, and - most importantly - just allowing the family to spend quality time together without financial worry.

“Natalie has spent her life helping others. It’s time we help her.”

Donations can be made here.

So far, the appeal has raised more than £3,900.