TWO-and-a-half years ago, Jayne Carpenter, a nurse at the Royal Gwent Hospital, lost both legs, an arm and four fingers to sepsis.

But her battle to recover and to raise awareness of the potentially fatal condition has brought a special recognition award from the Royal College of Nursing in Wales.

Mrs Carpenter, of Merthyr Tydfil, received the award at the RCN Wales Awards ceremony in Cardiff, supported by husband Rob.

The sixth annual RCN Wales Awards celebrated the achievements of nurses across Wales, and there was cause for celebration among nurses in Gwent.

The RCN Wales Children and Midwifery Award for 2018 went to Kerry Phillips, senior midwife manager, and Louise Taylor, consultant midwife, both of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, for their work in helping foster choice and control for women undergoing induction of labour.

Another health board duo - Jane Brunsdon and Cathryn Smith, lead nurses in expert clinical skills and development - were joint runners-up for the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales Award, for their workforce training in care homes in Gwent.

Natalie Skyrme, senior nurse in unscheduled care with the health board, was runner-up for the Registered Nurse (Adult) Award, for work in running a winter pressures ward for acute adult patients.