'I felt twitches... it was like magic': Quadriplegic who sailed solo round the UK reveals she has regained feeling in her limbs after having a pain-relief implant

Hilary Lister became first female quadriplegic to sail solo around the UK
She has now opened up about how she has gained movement in her limbs
Footage has emerged of her playing with dog and feeding herself a biscuit
Yachtswoman said improvement came after a pain relief implant in 2015

Published: 12:48 GMT, 6 November 2016 | Updated: 13:58 GMT, 6 November 2016

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A disabled yachtswoman who became the first female quadriplegic to sail solo around the UK has told how she has miraculously regained movement in her limbs.

Hilary Lister, who was paralysed from the neck down when she finished the 1,800-mile journey in 2009, opened up about her recovery after she was filmed playing with her dog and feeding herself a biscuit.

Footage shows the 44-year-old, who was struck down with a rare degenerative disorder in her teens, picking up a pen and raising a leg while she was lying down.

Ms Lister, from Faversham, Kent, said she kept her progress a secret from family, friends and full-time carers because she was terrified it may be temporary.

Disabled yachtswoman Hilary Lister (shown) who became the first female quadriplegic to sail solo around the UK has told how she has miraculously regained movement in her limbs

'As far as I know I'm the first person this has happened to. It is an incredible story, but it's true,' she told the Sunday Mirror.

'I was beyond words – ecstatic on one hand, but I was also terrified because I thought it might go away and also because it was potentially a huge life change for me.'

She recalled the moment she first felt pins and needles in her arms after having a spinal cord implant, designed for pain relief, fitted in September 2015.

'They turned it on and to everyone's astonishment it worked. I immediately felt pins and needles in both of my arms and my left leg and twitches where I'd never had anything before. It was like magic,' she said.

Ms Lister opened up about her recovery after she was filmed playing with her dog Mollie (shown)

She sailed into the history books when she completed the voyage around the UK in 2009

'In June this year I started to feel the first trembles of movement in my shoulders and more twitches, generally in my hands. It didn't happen overnight but gradually things progressed.'

The yachtswoman, who is understood to receive disability benefits to pay for three full-time carers, denied any suggestions she had lied about her capabilities.

Ms Lister was diagnosed with reflex sympathetic dystrophy in her teens and gradually lost use of her limbs.

She became quadriplegic, losing movement in all four of her limbs, at the age of 28 when she became unable to use her hands.

The yachtswoman, who is understood to receive disability benefits to pay for three full-time carers, denied any suggestions she had lied about her capabilities

Ms Lister covered roughly 60 miles a day with overnight stops as she circumnavigated Britain

But she did not let this get in the way of her dreams and in September 2009 she sailed into the history books when she completed the challenge.

She covered roughly 60 miles a day with overnight stops as she circumnavigated Britain.

At the time, she was paralysed below the neck and had to rely on blowing through straws connected to a computer in order to operate a 20ft racing yacht.

Her team of supporters were on hand at all times, tracking her position every night so they could tow her into port and then back to the same place in the morning.

After arriving back in Dover, she said: 'I'm so relieved to be home but looking forward to the next challenge.'