A TEENAGER marooned at home because of a genetic condition is dedicating her free time in lockdown to making protective facemasks.

Lara Hunt was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis – which causes a build up of mucus in the lungs and digestive system – at four months old.

She has had to shield herself for the past two months by staying in doors and will have to continue doing that until the risk of her becoming infected is over.

The 15-year-old said: “It hasn’t been too bad having to stay in. We’re quite lucky that we have a garden so I can be outside sometimes. I still get a lot of schoolwork to do so that helps to keep me busy too and now I’m making masks.

“At the beginning when I got the letter about shielding I was quite scared, but in the south west I think we’ve got off quite lightly. I feel protected living in this area.

“Having cystic fibrosis is not very different because I’ve had to live with it all my life so it’s just normal to me. Through my life I’ve had to have varying treatments which makes it quite a handful.”

To keep on top of her condition she has to do physiotherapy twice a day, uses a nebulizer to help her breathe and has to take various medication.

The Faringdon Community College student has been diagnosed with CF-related diabetes.

For both her conditions she has to go see her doctor once a month, since the coronavirus crisis began that is done over Zoom.

Her mum, Heather, of Curtis Road, Shrivenham, said: “I’m lucky I can work from home. We’ve been quite nervous. None of us want to leave the house, we feel that we might put Lara at risk.

“It’s terrifying that she has this condition and the virus affects the lungs. I have moments where I think she will be fine because she is young but then you think about her condition and she could really suffer.”

Lara was inspired by her mum, who started making masks at the beginning of lockdown, but wanted to make them more appealing to people of her age.

She told the Adver: “I didn’t like the style, they were more pleated. So, I decided to give it a go, I saw some patterns I liked on Pinterest which inspired me. I’ve enjoy doing it, I’ve already made quite a few patterns like marble, stripes and flowers.”

Heather said: “I started making mine after I saw a post on Instagram. I bought the material and got going.

"I’ve enjoyed it but Lara hated how they looked so she started making her own for people her age.”

Lara is selling the masks over her Facebook account.