A KILCREGGAN powerlifter who fell ill whilst competing for Scotland in a competition in South Africa has finally returned home.

Siona Garden, 45, joined 25 other Scottish athletes at the 2017 Commonwealth Powerlifting and Benchpress Championships near Johannesburg.

Having raised thousands of pounds to get herself there, Siona did everyone at home proud when she took gold in the raw bench press championships.

According to the rankings, she was expected to come in third for the full power championships due to be held later in the week – but before she had a chance to compete she was admitted to hospital with pneumonia, which had caused her right lung to partially collapse.

Siona spent 14 nights in hospital after being admitted on September 15 – and although disappointed she couldn’t compete, she was thankful for the help and care she received.

Siona said: “I was absolutely gutted when the realisation came to me that I wasn’t going to be able to compete having spent months and months preparing.

"I was fortunate that when I became ill Dawie, who was the manager of the guesthouse I was staying at – A Tapestry Garden Guesthouse, Potchefstroom – took me under his wing and made sure I saw a doctor as soon as practical.

“Throughout my time in South Africa Dawie was to become not only an invaluable source of information, but him and his partner Wium also became great friends, bringing me a burger whilst in hospital and keeping my spirits up when I was discharged.”

Siona said that the staff at the Mediclinic in Potchefstroom were professional and that the level of care was equal to what she would have expected in a British Hospital.

And although she’s not yet completely recovered, Siona is already thinking about her next competition.

She said: “My chest was slow to recover from the virus and even in my last X-ray, taken a few days ago, it is evident that my right lung hasn’t completely cleared.

"But I feel almost 100 per cent and although I get tired very easily now, I’m hoping to be getting back to training, probably next week.

"I have the Scottish Masters Championships in December to prepare for.”

The Kilcreggan cafe owner spent a total of five weeks in South Africa and kept people up to date with her progress via social media.

Siona expressed her thanks to everyone who sent well wishes and everyone who kept things ticking over at home.

She said: “I am extremely lucky that I have a very supportive husband in Trevor who, with the help of our Nanny Kerry kept everything ticking over at home whilst my chef at the cafe, Christian, worked tirelessly to keep the cafe open and running well every day with quite literally only one day off whilst I was away.

“I can’t thank them enough for everything!”