A fish tank warning has been issued after a family was hospitalised after inhaling a rare and deadly toxin emitted by coral.

Katie Stevenson, from Shropshire, and her family were taken to hospital with a deadly palytoxin after cleaning the tank.

The toxin is found in corals and is most commonly transmitted to humans via contaminated seafood, but there have been known cases of aquarium enthusiasts becoming severely ill.

Those who breathe in or ingest the palytoxin quickly fall ill, experiencing symptoms including respiratory distress and abdominal cramps. This can quickly progress to kidney failure, and most who die of exposure to the toxin suffer cardiac arrest.

Ms Stevenon, her husband and three children were rushed to hospital by paramedics wearing protective masks after realising they had become ill because of the toxin.

Police and the fire brigade had to cordon off their homein Telford, Shropshire, at just after midnight last Tuesday.

The mother, 34, said if they had decided to go to sleep instead of calling 111 when the symptoms began, they would have died.

It is believed to be one of only a few recorded cases of palytoxin poisoning within the UK.

The adults, who were first hit by the toxins, were in hospital for about a week. The three children who were asleep at the time, were discharged the day after.