A ROMSEY mother has spoken of her horror after her one-year-old baby was diagnosed with coronavirus.

Katie Betteridge, who lives in Chamber's Avenue, revealed she felt she "failed as a mum" when hospital staff confirmed her daughter Isla had caught the killer virus.

Now the mother of four has urged parents to take action against the virus as quickly as possible after her daughter spent a week battling COVID-19.

Katie, who works as a children's photographer, said: "On Monday Isla was not herself, she was really quiet and could not even stand up when she usually has so much energy.

"She had a really high temperature of 40.2 degrees, so I gave her Calpol, but through Wednesday night she started having a fit and that is when we phoned 111.

"Isla had the fit for four minutes, which hadn't happened before, and we were told we would get a call back the next day at 7am.

"They asked if she had a cough or a temperature and I was told to alternate Calpol with Nurofen every four hours."

The 33-year-old added: "Her temperature was really high on Thursday evening, she had been coughing a lot and her heart rate was 210 beats per minute when it should have been 150; we called 999 because she had a fit again and I was crying my eyes out in the ambulance on the way to A&E.

"We were told by Southampton General Hospital on Saturday Isla had coronavirus which was horrible, but deep down I was thinking she had the virus because she was lifeless.

"I was shocked and I felt like I failed as a mum because I had done my best to protect her, so when someone catches it you think where have they got this from?"

Katie stressed Isla may have contracted the virus when Isla's dad, Mark Stinchcombe, took her to Romsey War Memorial Park days before the country was placed into lockdown on Monday, March 23.

She added Isla was allowed to stay at home while she recovered, but this meant the entire family had to self-isolate for two weeks.

However, Katie knew Isla was starting to pull through when she was "grabbing food" a week after she started showing symptoms.

The mother highlighted parents should not "sit in silence" if they fear their child's symptoms get worse, while slamming people who flout lockdown rules, as she believes it is unfair on "people trying and staying at home".

Isla was diagnosed with coronavirus on Saturday, April 4, and the family will continue to self-isolate until Saturday, April 18.