A WALTON-IN-GORDANO grandmother is urging people to come forward and have a heart this Valentine s Day.

A WALTON-IN-GORDANO grandmother is urging people to come forward and have a heart this Valentine's Day.

Pamela Austin, who lives at the Walton Bay House Park Homes site on the coast road between Clevedon and Portishead, has been in an out of hospital dozens of times in the last 46 years.

The 63-year-old Portishead and Pill District Skittle Team member was born with a rare heart complaint called Wolf Parkinsons White Syndrome and first had an operation to repair a hole in the organ 22 years ago.

Since then, the former chef, who has two children and three grandchildren, says she has had vital help from her support nurse Wendy, who has been funded by the British Heart Foundation.

This week Wendy decided to tell her story to the Times in the hope more people will come forward to support the charity.

She said: "My heart nurse Wendy has been there so much for me. She has made a tremendous difference.

"If I am down she will bring me back up again.

"I would urge people to come forward and do anything they can for the British Heart Foundation. Even if it is just a car boot sale."

The British Heart Foundation's Valentine Appeal is aiming to raise £1million to fund the work of heart nurses and the charity's helpline to care for and support more patients and their families.

From tomorrow (Thurs), for a suggested donation of £1, romantics can write a personalised love note and display it in a British Heart Foundation shop window.

For more details about the Valentine Appeal or to donate to it log onto bhf.org.uk/valentine