A grandmother has beaten terminal cancer, against all the odds.

Diagnosed with advanced skin cancer just over a year ago, Christine Munro, of Carlisle, was given no real hope of survival.

But she has since gone on to make a miraculous recovery, having now been told her cancer has vanished.

Christine, 60, always refused to give up, even when she was told she was on end of life care.

Now, following a combination of pioneering medical treatment and alternative therapies, she has been told by doctors that her terminal cancer has gone.

Christine, of Spinner's Yard, was first diagnosed with melanoma in 2012 and her initial treatment was a success.

But then, having been cancer free for three years, she discovered a lump on the right side of her chest in May last year.

She underwent a routine CT scan at the Cumberland Infirmary, and was initially told it had come back clear.

She was later left devastated when she found out her cancer had come back, but had not been picked up.

With her tumour having progressed to a stage four - the most advanced - she was given little hope.

But Christine refused to give up, demanding to be referred to specialists in Newcastle. It was here, at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, at the Freeman Hospital, she was given a lifeline.

Christine underwent pioneering immunotherapy, managing just three sessions before the side effects became too much.

She has also completed a lot of her own research and tried various alternative therapies to complement her medical care.

Going back to Newcastle for regular scans, she has been encouraged by signs that the cancer was shrinking slightly.

But this week, having been worried her time was running out, she was given the results of her latest CT scan.

"I just went in and she said I've got some good news - we can't see it on the scan. It has gone," said Christine.

"Nobody could believe it. I couldn't really take it in. I started crying. Everyone I've told has been crying.

"I can't thank the team at Newcastle enough. They are fantastic."

Her husband Neil, who was with her when she got the news, said: "I think I was more calm than Christine. I was trying to listen to everything they were saying. I was just stunned.

"I really didn't expect any good news. I thought beforehand I'd be happy if had stayed the same size as it was.

"I couldn't believe what they were coming out with."

Christine believes it is a combination of the immunotherapy, alternative treatments and positive attitude that have got her this far.

She knows there is still a chance it could come back, but the medical team want to see her every three months to ensure that if it does, it is picked up at the earliest opportunity.

Christine, who was recently the subject of a fundraising Chance of Life ball to help her access some new medical treatments in Mexico as a last resort, said she can't quite believe what has happened.

"I had advanced malignant melanoma. The survival rate is not good. It's one of the most deadly cancers you can get," she said.

"I was on end of life care. I have the letters to prove it. To be told they can no longer see it is just a dream come true. The doctors asked what I was doing. They were amazed too.

"I've had people ringing me and texting me, but they don't really know what to say. They are lost for words."

The news has given Christine even more determination to continue with her alternative therapies, including healthy eating, dietary supplements, reiki sessions and regular exercise, to keep the cancer at bay.

"I really believe it's a combination of everything, and positive mindset. That's so important," she explained.

"I've had to fight it. When you are faced with no other option you will try anything. I just don't want to die. I'm not ready to. I have family who need me here now. I have to live."

Doctors have told her that only cancer of a certain size can be detected on a CT scan, so she knows there could still be traces in here body. But that has just made her more focused to keep fighting.

"There is no real cure. It might be sitting there waiting so I have to keep doing everything I have been doing and keep telling myself the cancer is not there. Something is working," she said.

Christine, who attends the iCan health and fitness centre in Carlisle, formerly Curves, said the team there - both staff and the many friends she has made at the gym - have helped keep her focused.

It was them that organised the fundraising ball at the Shepherd's Inn back in May, handing over a final total of £8,802 to help fund her various therapies and access new ones in Mexico.

She is now determined to give something back. She plans to write a book about a journey to help others who find themselves facing a cancer diagnosis, and hopes to run support sessions at iCan.

"It's hard to explain how I feel right now. I feel like I've cheated cancer and now I'm meant to help other people," said Christine.

"I never thought I'd ever get cancer but maybe it was sent for a reason. If I can beat it, with my type of cancer, I'm sure others can."