Mr Foley, 64, was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome – a disease of the peripheral nervous system affecting only 1,500 people each year – in December after losing the use of his hands overnight.

Within hours, doctors from Posterngate Surgery had researched a diagnosis and admitted him to York Hospital, where he was warned his condition would worsen.

The retired mine worker, of Westbourne Road in Selby, said: "I had always kept fit and active thanks to my allotment and long walks and swimming with my two grandsons, so suddenly finding myself hospitalised and unable to do the simple things we take for granted was hard."

The devastating illness was triggered in Mr Foley's case by salmonella poisoning while abroad in India, causing progressive numbness, weakness and paralysis to his hands and legs. But he and wife Joy, 63, could only wait to see if it would spread to the respiratory nerves, which would make breathing difficult and leave him on a ventilator.

Mr Foley added: "By early January, the doctors told me any breathing problems would have happened by now and that I was very lucky. But I still had to learn how to walk and use my hands again."

With no feeling in his left hand and only ten per cent in his right, he began gruelling physiotherapy sessions, treatments with occupational therapists and exercises at home in a bid to regain the full use of his limbs.

He said: "Because of my age, my progress is slower, but in the meantime I can walk short distances and feed myself, I just can't do things like shave.

"But I'm very positive about making a full recovery and my wife, two sons and two grandsons keep me going – I'm a long way off feeling sorry for myself yet.

"It could have been so much worse, but the doctors and hospital staff were all brilliant and provided excellent care, which is continuing now I'm back home. I owe my progress so far to them and can't thank them enough."