A FAMILY of four had to be airlifted to hospital after being struck down by suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

A couple and two children , who are not being identified, byt live in Hartlepool, were flown to a specialist oxygen chamber at a hospital in Hull, for treatment, when their life-threatening symptoms failed to subside.

The drama unfolded at about 11pm on Friday, when the mother was suffering from severe breathing problems. Details emerged over the weekend.

She was taken to Hartlepool General Hospital by ambulance. Her partner and children were also taken to hospital later, after displaying symptoms of exposure to the Silent Killer.

However, doctors were unable to control the woman's breathing problems and scrambled an RAF helicopter, from Leconfield, near Hull to airlift the family to the specialist unit.

Medics were waiting at the Hyperbaric Unit at the Hull and East Riding Hospital, to place the family in an oxygen chamber.

The centre is one of only eight in the country capable of dealing with all breathing problems, from carbon monoxide poisoning to divers suffering from the bends.

In the chamber, the family members had to wear a space suit-style helmet for three hours, to flush the carbon monoxide out of their bodies.

A hospital spokeswoman said: "It is very important, if not vital, that patients suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning get this treatment immediately.

"It gets the gas out of their system very quickly and they are quite often symptom-free after coming out of the chamber."

Staff at the hospital said the family had a lucky escape and have described their condition as satisfactory.

They were expected to be transferred back to Hartlepool General over the weekend.

Carbon monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas produced by inefficient home heating systems.

Poisoning occurs because the gas prevents blood cells from carrying oxygen to organs - resulting in asphyxiation, brain damage and even death.

Symptoms include dizziness, headaches, nausea and faintness.

The Northern Echo's Silent Killer Campaign was launched to highlight the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning, which claims 40 lives a year.