The BBC's Clinton Rogers on Able Sharp's lucky escape

Alex Sharp was standing at the bus stop in Dartington, Devon, with her 21-month-old son Able when she started talking to Marie Lord.

Able was slumped over Mrs Sharp's shoulder and Mrs Lord asked her if he was tired.

Mrs Sharp, aged 33, told her she thought he had flu, but 38-year-old Mrs Lord, who has three children, suspected something worse.

"I had a look at him and his lips and face were a deathly colour - blue and grey - and he was very floppy," said Mrs Lord.

She asked if he had a rash and had a look at his chest where she noticed the black spots typical of meningitis.

"The spots were so distinctive, black-coloured, purply black, and they didn't disappear when I touched them whereas they would normally go white. It made me realise the baby was not well at all," she said.

Mrs Lord took action immediately and ran to phone an ambulance.

'Dying in front of me'

Able was rushed to Torbay hospital and had to be given oxygen on the way.

Marie Lord: noticed dark spots on Able and called an ambulance

"It was like he was dying in front of me," said Mrs Sharp.

"If it had been literally a couple of minutes later, he might not have survived."

Able was in critical condition, but has since been transferred to Bristol Children's Hospital where his condition is described as stable.

Doctors say Mrs Lord's action saved Able's life as children who have meningitis can rapidly deteriorate.

Mrs Sharp admitted she had thought Mrs Lord was being a bit dramatic when she ran off to phone an ambulance.

But she said: "Every doctor here said it was a miracle we caught him [Able] in time - and that is all down to Mrs Lord."

Symptoms

Marie Lord: "I told her she didn't have time"

Mrs Lord said she recognised the signs of meningitis because of publicity about the illness in the media.

Meningitis is often difficult to diagnose and its symptoms can be confused with flu.

There are two types - viral and bacterial meningitis.

The most common form of bacterial meningitis which is the biggest killer of young children after cot death.

Symptoms include headache, fever, a rash and a stiff neck. It can be treated with penicillin if caught in time.