FAMILY and friends of Natasha Scott-Falber, a Caerwent teenager who died of Toxic Shock Syndrome, commemorated the first anniversary of her death with a sponsored walk across the Severn Bridge.

Twenty people, including members of staff from Marlow Vets in Chepstow, where Mandy Scott, Natasha’s mum, is a receptionist, were dressed in animals onesies to walk the M48 Bridge last Sunday.

The five-mile walk was to raise money for the Natasha’s Toxic Shock Syndrome Awareness Campaign and Back- up Trust, which helps those with spinal cord injuries.

Mandy Scott said: “It was a fantastic day, the weather was great and it was such a sociable event. All the staff knew Tash and have supported us, they have been truly amazing.

“We though we’d split the funds between our campaign and the Back-up Trust, which is for our head nurse, Rebecca Wakeham’s niece Ashley Harris, who is paralysed from the chest down after falling from her horse. It’s great that staff are looking after staff.”

She added: “It has been a hard few days but it was nice to have friends and family with us.”

Natasha was 14 years old when she passed away on February 14, 2013, of TSS, which is a rare condition which kills two to three people in the UK every year and affects around 40 people. The family are working with Public Health Wales to bring the symptoms of TSS to light and how to bring the topic into schools and lessons about puberty.

The symptoms of TSS normally begin with a sudden high fever and other symptoms then develop which can include vomiting, a sunburn-like skin rash, with the whites of the eyes becoming red/pink, diarrhoea, fainting or feeling faint, muscle aches, dizziness and confusion.

To donate visit www.fundrazr.com/campaigns/fg785