LORD Bathurst returned home to Cirencester last week after four months in hospital battling septicaemia.

Allen, The 9th Earl of Bathurst, of Cirencester Park, was admitted to Cheltenham General Hospital on July 26 after complaining of ‘acute joint pain and high fever’, his wife, Lady Bathurst, the High Sheriff of Gloucestershire, told the Standard.

“It is suspected his infection came from a deer fly, or Blandford fly, an insect whose bite can cause severe repercussions,” she said.

“He became increasingly ill, and three days later, he suffered multi-organ failure and had to be rushed to the Department of Critical Care.”

Lord Bathurst, 55, then spent eight days in an induced coma to allow his system to ‘fight the superbug-led infection’.

Lady Bathurst described her anguish as her husband’s ‘life hung in the balance’ for four weeks, but ‘against all odds’ he began to recover, being transferred to a general ward in Cheltenham, before spending a month in the Bone Infection Unit at John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

He was then returned to Cheltenham to continue treatment.

“It was a truly frightening time for us, and, to be honest, I don’t remember much of it as I was in a state of total shock,” said Lady Bathurst.

“But the NHS was magnificent.

“The doctors and nurses were absolutely amazing once the diagnosis had been confirmed and their care, determination and commitment, not only to my husband, but also to me personally, was second to none.

“We are both incredibly grateful and humble for all they did.”

Lord Bathurst, who has undergone a total of six operations over the last three months, is temporarily confined to a wheelchair as he looks forward to spending Christmas with his family before the ‘next big operation to rebuild his hip and pelvic area’ in January.

His long-standing prosthetic hip was removed after it was identified as the breeding ground for the infection.

The Staphylococcus infection was so severe, he still remains without a hip or complete pelvic joint.

Lord Bathurst said: “I hope my experience will highlight the terrible effects of septicaemia and the symptoms.

“Whilst my recovery will eventually be realised, I am under no illusion as to how close I was to losing my life and it is vitally important we all familiarise ourselves with the causes, so it can be identified and treated fast.”