A new mother has died just three weeks after falling ill with what she thought was flu.

Jill Grainger, 32, suffered with flu-like symptoms but in a matter of weeks she was dead from one of the world's rarest illnesses.

She became ill three weeks ago but returned to work after a few days believing she had recovered.

However, her symptoms reappeared and Jill, from Killingworth, North Tyneside, went to see her doctor, again thinking she was suffering from flu.

She was given antibiotics in a bid to combat the virus but when she failed to throw it off she was sent to hospital for tests.

The pharmaceutical company manager's symptoms baffled doctors as she underwent a battery of tests.

Jill, who gave birth to her son George last October, was eventually diagnosed with viral assisted hemophagocytic - one of only 60 cases worldwide. The genetic disorder had been triggered by the flu bug and there was nothing they could do to save her.