Great-grandma makes 'miraculous' covid-19 recovery after being told she had two hours to live

Alma celebrated her 90th birthday in a care home after recovering from Covid-19 Credit: BPM Media

A great-grandma has made a miraculous recovery from coronavirus after her family were told she had just hours to live.

Alma Watson, from Derby, celebrated her 90th birthday at the weekend after being discharged from hospital, after battling the disease for two months.

Her children said it was a "miracle" that she recovered.

The former pub landlady was on the Macmillan unit at the Royal Derby Hospital after her family were told nothing more could be done to save her life, so she could have “peace and quiet” before she “faded away”.

Alma Watson is recovering in a care home after testing negative for the virus Credit: BPM Media

But now she's been discharged into a care home to complete her recovery. Her son and daughter have shared their joy.

Alma with her son, Paul, before she became ill with the disease Credit: BPM Media

Paul and his sister, Tina McEvoy, said they were allowed to say their goodbyes with Alma in full PPE in the hospital ward.

They then had to wait for a phone call to tell them she had died - but it never came.

Alma and her late husband Ray were very popular in the city after spending 27 years running the Furnace Inn in Duke Street until 1994. Ray died 10 years ago.

Alma and her late husband Ray ran a pub together Credit: BPM Media

Now Alma has been discharged, she has been taken to Aspen Court Nursing Home.

Her son says there is still a "long road" ahead for his mother's recovery, as she needs full time care, and will have to learn to walk again, after Covid-19 weakened her.

Paul says his daughter Heather (one of Alma's five grandchildren - she also has six great-granchildren) is a sister at the hospital, and she told him staff there thought it was unbelievable that Alma survived.