Family's call for E.coli lessons

Mason Jones died while being treated for E.coli Mother's eulogy for Mason

The mother of a five-year-old boy killed in the south Wales E.coli outbreak has said lessons "have to be learnt" from the death of her son.

Mason Jones, from Deri, near Bargoed, died on 4 October while being treated for E.coli poisoning at Bristol Children's Hospital.

His mother, Sharon Mills, has told BBC Wales that she believes her son's death was "avoidable".

Mason is the only person to die in the outbreak which has affected 161 people.

Cases monitored

Of those affected since the outbreak was first detected on 18 September, most have been children.

Police and health officials are continuing to investigate the outbreak and identify its source.

There have been two new cases in the past week, bringing the total to 161, and health officials said they were monitoring a further 50 people believed to have been affected, but who are not showing symptoms.

Ms Mills told BBC Radio Wales that she hoped people would take greater precautions over food hygiene as a result of Mason's death.

She also paid tribute to her son, a pupil at Deri Primary School, whom she said had "loved life".

Ms Mills said: "What it's done to us is devastating and it can't happen to another child. Lessons have to be learnt by Mason's death," she told BBC Radio Wales.

I'd like people to remember how much he loved his life - and that he was robbed of it Sharon Mills

"I know it could have been avoided."

Ms Mills, who has two other sons, said she could not come to terms with the death of such a healthy child.

"There was nothing wrong with him, only that he ate a dinner - an innocent child eating a dinner," she said.

"I just can't understand it, it just doesn't seem to sink in at all."

Ms Mills said she had hoped Mason would shrug off the bug, as his elder brother, Chandler, had done.

'Raging temperature'

She relived the moment her son's condition began to deteriorate.

"We were just really frightened, it just happened so quick on that Sunday," she said.

"His feet and his hands were like ice and his body was cold, so I would never think that he had a temperature - but apparently he had a raging temperature.

"His head was soaking wet and he was drifting in and out of consciousness.

"He was saying silly things, like he could see slugs, and [he was] looking for a fork which he had never had - because he hadn't eaten anything since Wednesday."

Sharon Mills said she did not realise E.coli could be fatal

But Ms Mills said she did not realise contracting the O157 strain of the bacteria could be fatal.

"I never thought you could die from E.coli. Never. I had heard of E.coli and I just thought it was food poisoning," she said.

"I never ever thought Mason would die from it."

Ms Mills added it had been "traumatic" to watch Mason trying to fight the bug.

And she paid tribute to her son, whom she described as "loud, funny and really, really handsome".

She said: "He loved his life and I know he would still want to be here now, but unfortunately he isn't.

"I'd like people to remember how much he loved his life - and that he was robbed of it."