Melbourne, Oct 31 A Melbourne woman who spent 60 years of her life in an iron lung has died. She was 83.

June Middleton, who contracted polio at the age of 22, lost her battle at Thornbury nursing home on Friday morning.

Middleton celebrated 60 years with friends and her dog, Angel, by her side at her home at Yooralla's Ventilator Accommodation Support Service (VASS), reports News.com.au

She also made it to the Guinness World Book of Records in 2006 for spending the longest time in an iron lung.

At the time, she described life in an iron lung in matter-of-fact terms.

"It's hard to explain but it's what you gotta do, make the most of it, get over the obstacles on the way," she said. (ANI)