FRIENDS of a mum who was in a coma for five months after suffering horrific burns have praised her strength for pulling through.

Kizzy Brockall was left with burns covering 95 per cent of her body after the caravan she was living in caught fire in July 2013.

Her friend of seven years Chantelle Rowlands joined Ms Brockall’s family at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital after the accident.

Ms Rowlands said that everyone was in tears when they saw the “frazzled” hair and red and black skin of their loved one.

The 25-year-old hairdresser added: “Everyone was quite distressed. Seeing her you would not have recognised her.

“I saw her a couple of hours after it happened, she was completely red and black, just burnt and her hair frazzled.

“There was no words to describe it, we were all in tears.”

Because of the extent of her injuries from the fire in the garden of her sister Nikki’s home in Bernwood Road, Barton, Ms Brockall was transferred to a specialist burns unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital.

Ms Rowlands said that she was told that her friend only had a 20 per cent chance of surviving the journey from Oxford to west London.

Andy Williams, consultant plastic surgeon at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, which manages one of the burns centres for London and the South East, said: “It is rare for a person with 95 per cent burns to survive.

“To treat such a patient requires a huge effort from surgeons, therapists, nurses, psychologists and dieticians working together over many months in a specialist unit like ours.”

But mum-of-four Ms Brockall eventually came out of her five-month coma and has slowly started to rebuild her life.

Ms Rowlands said that nearly two years later her friend has only just begun getting her confidence back.

She added: “ At first she was not allowed to wear make-up, because they needed to let her face recover.

“As soon as her hair started growing and she didn’t have to wear her wig, she had a lot more confidence back.

“I have been doing her hair – it’s like having the old her back.”

Ms Rowlands said she was so proud of Ms Brockall for staying strong, despite dying three times in hospital and having to be resuscitated.

She added: “When we went up to the hospital in Chelsea we heard about a 10-hour operation where she had died on the table.

“But the thing is there were so many times she could have gone, but she fought all the way and has fought so much.

“I am very proud of her for how far she has come and to stay so strong after everything she has been through.”

Ms Brockall said that she does not remember how the fire broke out. She believes she was going through a period of depression.

The 29-year-old said she was diagnosed with postnatal depression after the birth of her first daughter in 2006.In the months leading up to the fire she had her children taken into care by Buckinghamshire County Council.

Chief executive of Oxfordshire Mind Patrick Taylor said between 10 and 15 per cent of new mums suffer from postnatal depression and the condition could be very severe.

He added: “Postnatal depression can be really tough. Getting support is vital – this can be from your GP, midwife, or health visitor – all of whom will be familiar with the signs.”

* Mums worried about suffering postnatal depression can speak to advisers by calling Oxfordshire Mind Information Line 01865 247788.