A Bristol mum's life was saved after a routine eye test led to the discovery of a tumour which could have killed her within three weeks.

Susan Bravo had experienced unbearable headaches for several months before she booked the test, but did not imagine that she could have been weeks away from death.

The optometrist, Joanne Dunkerley, discovered that her optic nerve was swollen and sent her straight to Bristol Eye Hospital for further tests.

Mrs Bravo, a school kitchen assistant of Lockleaze, said: "The headaches were really, really painful. They made me cry and scream out. They were at the front of my head above the eyes, so I thought it was eyes that were playing up and decided to go along to Specsavers in Bedminster for a check-up.

"And that's where they found that the optic nerve was swollen. I was scared and started to cry."

After a scan at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, Mrs Bravo, 50, was diagnosed with a rare condition called papilledema, where the swelling is caused by pressure within the skull.

But specialists were concerned about another growth that showed up on her scan and referred Mrs Bravo to a neurologist at Frenchay Hospital, who discovered a tumour the size of a "Rich Tea biscuit". It was thought the tumour had been growing for 20 years and, while it was not cancerous, the growth was potentially life-threatening because the size and position meant it was pushing Mrs Bravo's brain to one side.

Mrs Bravo had to undergo a 10-hour operation to remove the tumour.

She said: "It was very quick and I didn't have time to think about it. They said I only had two to three weeks to live.

"I felt awful. I just didn't want to leave my children. I was told that I could have collapsed while walking to school, anytime."

The mum of six lives with her husband Manuel and her youngest daughters, Alexandra, seven, and Parys, six.

Her operation involved four metal plates being fitted in her skull and 45 staples in her head.

Mrs Bravo said: "I feel better in myself, but I still get headaches, although not nearly as painful.

"I have been given a second chance of life and am so glad I went for that eye test. I have got a lot to thank them for. The doctors and surgeons are forever in my heart. I will never ever forget them after what they did for me."

David Sweeting, of Specsavers Bedminster, where Mrs Bravo had her life-saving eye test, said: "We're glad to have been able to help Susan and hope that this highlights the importance of regular eye exams.

"Looking into your eyes can allow your optician to spot the early signs of a wide range of conditions, and so should be part of your general health care routine."

Since she came out of hospital, Mrs Bravo has started fundraising for Frenchay Hospital's Magic Wand Appeal.

- This is the second time Specsavers has helped to save the life of a patient through a routine eye test. Kirrily Denny was visiting her Bristol family from New Zealand when her eyesight deteriorated drastically. She visited the Union Street branch of Specsavers, where the optometrist noticed a swelling of Ms Denny's optical discs and referred her to Bristol Royal Infirmary, where a CT scan found a tumour behind her left eye.