FOOTBALLER Colin Hendry paid tribute to the doctors and nurses who brought his wife back from the dead after she was finally discharged from hospital.

Mum-of-four Denise, 36, is now back at the Hendry family's £1million seafront house in Lytham after being allowed home permanently from the Royal Preston Hospital.

She was admitted there on April 12, after contracting septicaemia during a liposuction operation at Broughton Park Private Hospital.

Before Denise left Preston Royal, she personally thanked staff for saving her life and returned to Colin, 36, Rheagan, 12, Kyle, six, Callum, four, and Nhaimh, two.

Colin said: "Obviously I am delighted Denise is back. The past four months have been the worst of our lives. I should like to thank the doctors and nurses and all the other staff at the Royal Preston for what they have done for my wife and family."

Denise, who had previously been allowed temporary home visits, will have to return as a day patient for minor treatment over the next few months. The family's home has been specially adapted as she has difficulty walking. She spent more than month in a coma and almost three months in intensive care. There is a scar from her breast bone to belly button and she has had plastic surgery on an arm burned by spilled drugs.

Colin, nicknamed 'Braveheart', prayed day and night at Denise's bedside as she experienced the sickening catalogue of problems. He is meeting with his lawyers to discuss taking legal action against the Broughton Park Hospital.