CROSSGATES nurse Pauline Cafferkey feared she might “die a horrible death” after contracting Ebola while volunteering in West Africa.

The medical worker, who grew up in the West Fife village, was discharged from hospital in February after being treated for the third time for a complication linked to the deadly virus.

In a TV interview broadcast last week, Pauline, 40, said: “I was obviously very shocked. I just knew that I had to stay strong and I just had to try and keep it together.

“I was just thinking I could die a horrible death within the next few days.”

The nurse added: “I said: ‘Do not let anybody in here. I do not want anybody to see me’, which is quite selfish really, but I just didn’t want them to see me like that. I asked my doctor to phone my family and inform them because I couldn’t do it. It would just upset me.

“I actually refused to have my family come in to visit me. I was suffering and you wouldn’t want to see your child or your sister going through that.”

Pauline was infected while working with the sick in Sierra Leone in December 2014, at the height of the largest outbreak of Ebola in history.

She spent almost a month in an isolation unit at London’s Royal Free Hospital and was released after making a recovery.

But she fell ill again in October and was this time treated for meningitis caused by Ebola.

Pauline was flown from Glasgow to the Royal Free once more in February and treated for a complication related to her previous infection.

Describing her symptoms, she said: “The first or second day, my mouth was very painful.

“And then as time went on, I had a horrendous rash, I was in a lot of pain and then my body became swollen. I think probably my organs were starting to fail at that point.”

The nurse, who works in South Lanarkshire, said: “I have been negative of Ebola for seven months now and don’t believe I will have another relapse.

“Looking to the future, I’m not sure what it will hold.

“I’m positive it will be full of good things as it can’t get any worse than what I have gone through and I’m sure the memories will fade with time.”

Asked what she would say to anyone else considering taking a risk to go and help the sick, she said: “Just do it. There’s nothing more rewarding than giving.

“I have no regrets.”