Oxygen therapy has proved to be more than a breath of fresh air for a Bowness man suffering from a debilitating lung disease.

Trevor Hinxman, who suffers from extensive emphysema, angina and is in remission from throat cancer says that a new light-weight oxygen tank has given him a new lease of life.

The 75-year-old who is a keen walker found that his emphysema, which was diagnosed in 1999 and causes him to be short of breath, meant he was having to cut short his four-mile country jaunts with his dog Sweep.

But thanks to the small one-litre light-weight tank that he discovered in Breathe Easy- The British Lung Foundation magazine he has been able to take lengthier walks and tackle more difficult terrain.

It had been six years since he had enjoyed the satisfaction of taking in the sweeping panoramas of Lake Windermere from the summit of Gummer's Howe, Cartmel Fell, but with his new tank strapped to his back he conquered the fell at the beginning of this month.

"It took just over one hour to get to the top and quite a lot of people who were passing me by cheered and said well done.

"I can now go out and walk up hills and I'm less restricted.

It is the fact that I can do that which makes a tremendous difference to me.

Now instead of only being able to manage one mile I can walk for three or four."

Now Mr Hinxman has his sights on a more testing trek- High Damn, Finsthwaite.