A pub landlady is having weekly kidney dialysis and a pacemaker fitted as she fights for her life in hospital.

Kelly Cowell, who runs The Fenn Bell Inn, in Fenn Street, Hoo, had started to show an improvement in the last week and had even been allowed out of the hospital with her husband for the first time since been admitted with kidney and liver failure five weeks ago.

But within a few days of seeing the sunshine outside her hospital ward Kelly has been moved back to intensive care again.

Her husband Andy, who also runs the pub, had hoped his wife condition was starting to improve when she began to open her eyes three weeks ago and was even allowed out of the hospital and off of the intensive care ward.

Andy, 53, said: “Over the last three weeks she has been woken up and her drug dependency reduced, she also was moved to the High Dependency Unit.

“The amazing nurses here at St Thomas made it possible for her to have a trip out for half hour last Thursday to enjoy the sun and I can't put into words what it meant to be able to do something so normal.”

But things have taken a turn for the worse in the last few days.

He said: “Unfortunately on Monday she was moved back to the intensive care unit due to her heart rate dropping.”

Andy has been told she will need a pacemaker as well as dialysis three times a week due to her kidneys having packed up completely.

In the last year, Kelly has been in and out of hospital with serious health conditions after suffering her first stroke over the Easter weekend in 2022.

She has also had three heart operations and two further strokes.

Just over a month ago the problems with her heart resulted in major kidney and liver failure and Kelly was once again rushed to hospital and put on a life support machine.

Andy said: “She has suffered quite a strain on all her body though having three heart ops, which has left her with many new problems such as no kidneys working, so she now will be on a three days a week dialysis and will have a pacemaker.”

He added: “I can't put into words how proud we are as a family of her and how amazed the doctors are with her fight and determination to keep living, she truly is a superhero in my eyes.”

And he admitted managing the zoo and helping Kelly has taken its toll over the past five weeks.

He said: “I go to see her most days but I have found it very helpful to send her a text every day with my thoughts and although she does not have her phone with her at the moment, when she gets it back she will understand what's gone on over this time by reading them.”