SHE suffered debilitating symptoms for 11 years before finally receiving a diagnosis.

Now a Lyme disease victim from Hampshire is spearheading a campaign to raise awareness of the condition following a 260-per-cent increase in cases in the past few years.

Kellie Maher, of Sway Road, Brockenhurst, was just 14 when she first developed symptoms.

After an initial fainting spell her condition worsened over the next few years. She started passing out up to 15 times a day, was bedbound for months and began to experience joint pains and fatigue.

Kellie endured a battery of tests, including one for Lyme disease that came back negative, and also received several misdiagnoses including ME.

During a particularly bad spell at university she consulted a doctor in Brussels and was given a more sophisticated test that revealed the truth.

She has since received specialist treatment in California, which has resulted in her feeling healthier for longer periods.

Mum Cheryl said Lyme disease had "stopped Kellie in her tracks" at a crucial stage in her life.

Now the 25-year-old is determined to make people more aware of the condition - a bacterial infection spread by ticks in woodland areas such as the New Forest.

The tiny blood-sucking parasites cling to vegetation and wait to attach themselves to passing animals and people.

Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed because the initial symptoms, which include headaches, fever and chills, are similar to other conditions.

Some of Kellie's friends are taking part in a fundraising event called the Rough Runner. The 10k obstacle course is being held in Winchester next Saturday in aid of LymeAid UK, which helps provide proper testing for the disease.

Kellie, who needs a wheelchair and a mobility scooter to get around, said: "The NHS testing standard is flawed to say the least.

"They are using the least accurate blood tests available and on average 50-per-cent of cases are not diagnosed. It's basically a toss of a coin whether you will get treatment."

Kellie's campaign coincides with a huge increase in the number of pets suffering from Lyme disease.

The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) saw about 100 confirmed or suspected cases last year - a 560-per-cent increase on 2009.

PDSA vet Vicki Larkham-Jones said: "These figures are incredibly worrying because Lyme disease can be a very serious, debilitating condition that can cause long-term problems if left untreated."

The rise in Lyme disease in the UK is thought to have been driven by warmer winters caused by climate change.

Reported cases in people in England and Wales rose from 268 in 2001 to 959 in 2011 - an increase of 260-per-cent.