A BRAVE Bridgwater schoolboy who was moments from death after being struck down by a killer bug is proving an inspiration to others.

Last February doctors told Gail and Garry Phillip they were ten minutes from losing their son William, who was then aged just five, after he contracted pneumococcal meningitis.

The Sedgemoor Manor Infants pupil was rushed to hospital for emergency life-saving treatment, and a year on William has now made a full recovery.

But it could have all been so different had mum Gail not trusted her instinct and taken him to be checked out after he complained of an ear infection.

She told the Mercury: “I didn't think anything of it at first but we took him to the doctors just in case and they couldn't find anything wrong.

“But the next day he started getting worse and throwing up, and he was all floppy like a doll, so the following morning, I don't know why, but I phoned a helpline and they got us an emergency appointment at the hospital.”

Over the next couple of weeks William underwent surgery and was given round-the-clock care before finally being allowed to return home.

The football-loving youngster now suffers from bad hearing and wears hearing aids in both ears, but never complains.

“He is a real inspiration and just gets on with things”, Gail added. “We were later told we were ten minutes from losing him, and that's one of the hardest things for a parent to hear.”

Now the family want to warn other parents not to ignore any potential warning signs that their child could be suffering from a pneumococcal disease.

Gail added: “If sharing our story helps save one other life it will be worth it.”

TO find out more about pneumococcal disease, which according to a new survey more than half of adults in the South-West have never heard of, click on the related link.