A YOUNG man died suddenly of meningitis after his symptoms were mistaken for the flu.

Christopher Davey, 23, of Carter Avenue, Shanklin, began feeling ill on Saturday, October 6.

He was hunched up with a stiff neck, vomiting and had a severe headache.

His sister, Toni Davey-Tiller, phoned an ambulance, which arrived at around 9am, but the ambulance staff decided he did not need to be taken to hospital.

Five hours later, he was in a coma from which he never woke up.

"It was so quick," Toni said. "He was in work the night before, perfectly healthy."

Christopher, who was a chef at The Yarbridge Inn and a former pupil of Sandown High, wasn't displaying the well-known meningitis rash and his grieving family want to raise awareness of the lesser known symptoms so other people aren't misdiagnosed in the same way.

After the ambulance left, Christopher's condition got worse and he collapsed. Toni phoned 999 again and was told they would not get another ambulance for two hours.

Toni said: "I got him back into bed but he was screaming and writhing because of the pain in his head.

"I rang again and the call handler could hear him screaming in the background, but still it was a two-hour wait.

"He then started having a seizure, so we carried him out to my car. I knew then that we couldn't wait for two hours, so we drove ourselves from Shanklin to the hospital.

"From the moment we got there, the hospital staff were really good. Immediately, they suspected meningitis and they intubated him and put him into an induced coma," Toni said.

A scan revealed severe swelling on his brain. He had developed pneumonia and septicaemia and later that day his family were told he may never wake up.

On Tuesday, October 9, he was officially pronounced dead.

"He had his whole life ahead of him," Toni said.

"It is so terrifying how quickly it can happen to a really healthy young man.

"It's a shame that this all happened when his life was going so well — a new house, a new car, a new job and planning his first proper holiday to New York. Clearly this infection doesn't discriminate.

"I don't blame the ambulance staff. He didn't have the rash or the sensitivity to light that most people associate with meningitis.

"Since this happened, I have learnt that the rash is often the last symptom to appear and sometimes doesn't appear at all. Christopher got it while he was in a coma.

"Our family is now fundraising for Meningitis Now and campaigning to raise awareness of this devastating disease.

"It gives me and my family comfort to know that Chris can make a difference and we're now working closely with Meningitis Now to make sure he does."

Anyone can donate to the family's fundraiser by visiting their donation page.

Meningitis Now advises not to wait for a rash before seeking medical help and warms that someone with meningitis or septicaemia can get a lot worse very quickly.

Early symptoms can include fever, headache, vomiting, muscle pain and fever with cold hands and feet. Other symptoms include drowsiness, sensitivity to light, confusion, irritability, spots, rash, stiff neck and seizures.

Christopher's funeral will be on October 29 at 2.15pm at the Isle of Wight Crematorium, followed by a wake at The Aqua Hotel in Shanklin from 3.30pm.