A baby girl was killed by sepsis - just a day after being misdiagnosed with tonsillitis.

Eleven-month-old Ellie Lunn from Ramsgate was given Dioralyte and Calpol, which are believed to have hidden her symptoms.

Now mum Kerry Hill is urging others to learn about the condition after suffering the devastating loss of her daughter.

She initially grew worried about Ellie when she began refusing food and vomiting.

Kerry rushed Ellie to the GP, who referred her to A&E. At hospital, Kerry explained to doctors that Ellie had not urinated for 12 hours and had developed a rash on her stomach.

But the little girl was tragically misdiagnosed with viral tonsillitis. She was given Dioralyte and Calpol, which are said to have masked her symptoms.

Ellie died the following morning.

"If her symptoms had been recognised earlier there's a chance that things could have been different..." Kerry Hill

Grief-stricken Kerry is now raising awareness of sepsis - which is estimated to kill more people in the UK annually than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined.

The UK Sepsis Trust describes sepsis - also known as blood poisoning - as "the body's overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death".

According to the charity, five people every hour and 52,000 people each year die in the UK as a result of sepsis, making it one of the country's biggest killers.

After Ellie's death four years ago, Kerry now feels ready to share her experience in the hope of helping others.

“Losing Ellie was simply heart-breaking and if her symptoms had been recognised earlier there’s a chance that things could have been different,” said Kerry.

“Many people are still unsure of the signs and symptoms to look out for. By sharing my story, I hope to prevent other families having to go through the same thing."

Kerry works as a manager at Caremark Thanet in Margate.

Following Ellie's tragic death, the home care provider is holding a sepsis awareness conference on November 14 which is open to the public.

A paramedic will explain the symptoms of sepsis and when to seek medical advice, while sepsis survivor Barbara Hall will speak about her experience of suffering from the condition as an adult.

“Sepsis can affect anyone at any age, so the event is open to the general public as a whole and we are urging local schools, doctors and nurseries, in particular, to attend,” Kerry added.

For more information, visit Caremark Thanet's website.

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