A mum has spoken of her horror after being rushed to a specialist hospital and put into a coma after tanning sessions.

Mother-of-three Caroline Wood, 40, is undergoing extensive rehabilitation care and has been unable to work since going on a sunbed 15 weeks ago.

The catering assistant had gone to Tans Professional Tanning in Gillingham to get a base colour before going on holiday and returned the following evening for a second session.

The salon owner said she ignored safety advice.

Less than 12 hours later Miss Wood became dehydrated and collapsed, falling down the stairs at her Rainham home.

Her teenage daughter dialled 999 and she was taken to King’s College Hospital in London where medics investigated what might have set off the illness.

As she lay in an induced coma, marks were discovered on her back.

Miss Wood and her partner Peter Rossiter were forced to cancel their dream holiday to Tenerife, which would have been the first time the family had been abroad together.

Miss Wood spent a month at King's and is now receiving therapy at a brain injury clinic in south east London.

She told the Medway Messenger she had used sunbeds before with no harmful effects, but is now warning others to take care.

She said: “I would not want what has happened to me to happen to anyone else.”

Her partner Mr Rossiter, 50, an online retailer, said: “My advice about sun beds is don’t go on them.

"There’s plenty of media coverage about the risks.”

Mr Rossiter said they have sought legal advice.

Miss Wood went for her first session on May 3 with a friend, Sarah Davidson, and returned the following evening.

"My advice about sun beds is don't go on them" - Peter Rossiter

Miss Davidson, 35, a mother-of- four from Rainham, said: “Caroline had eight minutes the first time and then asked for 10 the second time which I told her that I thought was too much.”

Advice on clients' appointment card reads: “Be patient, some people tan quickly, while others take time. After your first visit please wait 48 hours before your next session.”

Roland Toogood, the owner of the High Street premises, said: “Being a member of the Sunbed Association, we comply with the sunbed code of practice to ensure that the highest professional standards are maintained for the welfare of all our customers.

“When visiting the salon for the first time, everybody receives an induction on how to operate the sunbeds, how many minutes they should tan for and how to continue to tan safely.

“Because of this the vast majority of our customers tan responsibly.

"Unfortunately Miss Wood ignored all of the advice she was given.”