An engineering student with flu died after her parents said that NHS warnings put them off taking her to A&E at Christmas.

Melissa Whiteley was admitted to hospital on Christmas Day after failing to shake a cough and suffering from flu-like symptoms but she deteriorated rapidly and was placed in a coma.

Tests revealed that the 18-year-old, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs, was suffering from sepsis, the flu, pneumonia and a fungal infection in her throat.

She died at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, on January 27 and her devastated parents and twin sister Megan have now warned others to not delay going to hospital if they have flu-like symptoms, regardless of the crippling pressures facing the NHS.

Sharon Whiteley, 53, the teenager’s mother, said: “We read all the warnings about not coming to hospital if you have a cold or the flu and we just followed them. We thought it was the right thing to do.

“We knew that if you just have a cold, they don't want you in A&E because you could pass more germs on or could waste their time but I would say to anyone if you're not sure, go.

“You're not wasting time, make sure and get it checked out."