A woman has told of her relief at surviving the gruelling ordeal of battling several cancers for more than three years.

Marianne Young, 45, of Norwich, was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2013, which spread to her liver and lungs.

But in early 2014 Ms Young was then told she had another cancer, also in the bowels, that had spread to another part of the body.

As a result she had part of her lungs removed – as well as 70pc of her liver and gallbladder.

After 14 exhausting rounds of chemotherapy, and a heat technique used to destroy the tumours in both of her lungs, it was hoped Ms Young was cancer-free, but the disease returned to haunt her again in 2016.

Her oncologist referred her to a specialist surgical team at The Christie Hospital, in Manchester, which is one of two hospitals in the country that offers a special chemotherapy treatment.

The treatment is called 'cytoreductive surgery and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy'.

This pioneering and complex surgery sees surgeons remove all visible tumours in the abdomen (which can take up to 14 hours), before a heated chemotherapy treatment is given to the abdomen.

She is now free of cancer, and hopes the treatment has given her the chance of living for many more years.

'I was elated when I found out that I was compatible for this specialist treatment,' Ms Young said.

'I was worried that I wouldn't be a suitable candidate as I had undergone so much surgery before.'

Her consultant at The Christie, Omer Aziz, said Ms Young's cancer was so advanced that the specialist treatment was the only way to cure her.

'With the alternative being non-curative chemotherapy and radiotherapy, it was her best chance of survival,' he said.

Ms Young added: 'I am so grateful that I was referred to this team at The Christie which could deal with such a complex cancer diagnosis.

'I felt extremely confident that I was in the safest hands. The impact of the treatment has been substantial. It has given me the chance of being cancer-free for longer and the ability to have a normal life.

The Christie Hospital is a leading cancer centre across Europe.

Have you got a story about cancer? Contact our health correspondent by emailing nicholas.carding@archant.co.uk