A DIABETIC teenager has been given a new lease of life after receiving an insulin pump.

Nina McGregor, from West Auckland, met with members of the Friends of South Durham Hospitals yesterday to thank them for the gift which means she no longer has to inject herself five times a day.

The £2,000 subcutaneous insulin pump, which was bought by the group, is no bigger than a pager and gives insulin continuously under the skin.

Nina, 18, has been using the pump for a week and already she is thrilled with the difference it is making to her life.

She said: "It's amazing. I was having four or five injections a day depending on how high or low my levels were and after a while when you are injecting the same area it starts to get quite painful."

Nina is one of many young people whose lives could be changed by what is the latest treatment for diabetics.

There is no funding for this piece of equipment and Dr Bill Lamb, a paediatric consultant at Bishop Auckland General Hospital has pledged to run 1,000-miles to raise as much money as possible to buy them.

So far, he has run 740-miles and he has vowed not to stop until every child in the area has an insulin pump.

He said: "I started off with the intention of just running 500-miles but now I will keep running for as long as it takes.

"I have been overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of the people who have been supporting the appeal and to see the transformation in the lives of the young people makes the whole thing worthwhile."

Joan Reynolds, secretary of the friends, said: "Nina seems delighted with the pump which means it is obviously doing the job it is meant to and from our point of view it has been nice to be able to make a difference."