A determined woman has battled back from major spinal surgery to make it into the national powerlifting championships.

Senga Grave, 30, from Denton Holme, Carlisle, has always loved exercise, working as an activities instructor until she was struck down by serious injury a few years ago.

Now, after battling back to health and in turn finding a new passion for weights, she competed in the British Women’s Classic Championships at the weekend and is now ranked ninth in Britain.

She said she became an athlete by accident.

Just three years ago Senga was fit enough to embark on a gruelling paddleboarding challenge across Windermere to raise funds for Cancer Research UK, after several family members were affected.

Never did she imagine she herself would soon see her own life change forever by illness – in her case a back injury.

“I really damaged my spine,” said Senga. “I lost feeling in my legs and had to have a big operation.”

The recovery was tough, but it was only through her rehabilitation that she realised another talent.

“I was told to rest after my back operation, but I don’t do rest very well.

“I’d put on a lot of weight while I was out of action and wanted to try and get my fitness back. I got a personal trainer and he started doing some weight training with me. I loved it.”

Training at the Barrie Mark gym, at Carlisle’s Sands Centre, Senga gradually saw her fitness improve.

She met members of the Carlisle Powerlifting Club and decided to give it a go. Before she knew it she was hooked.

“I started to get a bit stronger and wanted to lift heavier and heavier weights. I’m quite vicious with myself. I like to push myself further and further,” she said.

Senga took part in her first competition, the Cumbrian championships, this summer and won her category.

The contest sees participants complete their best squat, bench and deadlift, with Senga going on to earn her place in the national championships.

She has since been hard in training for the event, at Horncastle, Lincolnshire, working out at the gym several times a week.

At Sunday’s competition she lifted 150 kilos in the squat, 65 on the bench and 147.5 in her deadlift and came ninth overall – not bad for her first contest against the best in Britain.

“I loved it,” said Senga, who was accompanied to the finals by husband Richard Grave and members of the Carlisle Powerlifting Club.

“Before my first lift I was really nervous. I was shaking, but once I started it was brilliant. It’s all come as a bit of a surprise. I’ve become an athlete without really meaning to.”

Having been forced to give up her activities instructor job, she now works for BTFS as a house keeper as well as Watchtree Nature Reserve in her free time.

She said the powerlifting has helped her find her fitness again and given her the life she enjoyed back.

Senga now has her sights on the north west finals in two months time, and said she will be working hard to improve her bench lift.