A mother-of-four who was refused the cancer drug Herceptin said she was "over the moon" after her local primary care trust changed its mind and agreed to give it her.

Elaine Barber, from Stoke-on-Trent, found out on Tuesday that she was not being given the drug, despite a recommendation from her doctor.

The North Stoke Primary Care Trust turned down her request on the grounds of resources and said there was a lack of current evidence supporting the long-term efficacy of the drug.

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Her lawyer, Yogi Amin, from law firm Irwin Mitchell, immediately applied to the High Court for an urgent hearing of the case to try to reverse the decision.

But 24 hours later, the trust appeared to backtrack and granted the medication.

Ms Barber, who contracted cancer in August last year but is currently in remission, said she was delighted.

"I am absolutely over the moon," she said.

"I hope now that the very many women like me who just want to be given the chance to live will also be given funding for the drug treatment.

"I can't believe that I have been put through all this just so the health authority can balance the books. Human life cannot and should not be measured in pounds."

Mr Amin said: "We are delighted, our position has never wavered.

"We knew that this was the right decision from the start and intended to take the case all the way through the legal process to ensure Elaine had the right to the drug treatment she was prescribed by her clinician."

Mr Amin said the case could pave the way for others who, like Ms Barber, suffer from early stage cancer.

"Other patients in this situation being refused the drug treatment will have a legal claim to challenge their health authority," he said.

"The PCT suggested that they should not decide between individual cases and seem now to have reversed their position and allowed the treatment in Elaine's individual circumstances.

"Today's decision shows a complete turnaround in their position and brings hope for hundreds of women who need this drug."

Last month, a study revealed that the cancer drug reduced the risk of cancer returning by nearly 50 per cent among women with early

stage Her2 breast cancer.

The Government has said all women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer would be tested to see if they are suitable for treatment with Herceptin following growing pressure from the public and patients.

Trust spokesman Adam Whittaker said chief executive Mike Ridley met Ms Barber to discuss her appeal.

"In the light of her particular exceptional circumstances the PCT has now agreed to uphold her appeal," he said.

"North Stoke PCT is confident that the process that has been followed in considering Elaine's appeal has been thorough and rigorous and soundly based upon the evidence that is available.

"We recognise however that this process has been time consuming and regret the distress that this has caused to Elaine."

Mr Whittaker said the original decision to refuse treatment was not based solely on absolute cost but also the efficacy of the treatment.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt welcomed the news that Ms Barber would now get the treatment.

"I have said that PCTs should not refuse to fund Herceptin solely on the grounds of cost.

"We are in a position where Herceptin has not been licensed and not been evaluated by Nice, and we are waiting for Roche to put in their application for licensing.

"What we have done in the meantime is make sure that testing is being put in place so all the women who can benefit from the drug are in a position to receive it," Ms Hewitt said.

She said that Nice had been an important step forward in ensuring that NHS patients get the treatments that are clinically and cost effective.

"I have been very careful in all of this to do nothing that would undermine Nice's position," Ms Hewitt added.