A mother says her toddler is lucky to be alive after her body started to shut down after drinking a slushy.

Marcelle Richards was told two-year-old Rielle would have died if she had not phoned for an ambulance after the youngster fell unconscious shortly after drinking the iced drink at Gravity trampoline park in Bluewater shopping centre in Greenhithe yesterday (Feb 8).

Marcelle, 30, had just left the parent and toddler hour at the popular trampoline park when her daughter started complaining of a tummy ache.

She said: “I just thought she was hungry so we went to Wagamamas but she suddenly went all floppy and unresponsive.”

The aesthetics practitioner said she rushed her daughter to Boots where staff called for the centre’s first aiders and an ambulance.

“They were putting screens around her and then the paramedics arrived. It was so scary. I thought she was going to die,” the mum said.

Marcelle said the tot was “out cold” and sweating and only started coming round at Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford 90 minutes later.

She said the paramedics advised if she had not brought her in she would have died.

“She seemed tired but I thought it was just from all the bouncing so I was thinking of just putting her in her pram and letting her sleep.

“They said if I had done that her organs would have started to shut down and she would never have woken up.”

Marcelle, who is from Bexleyheath, says she was advised by the member of staff selling her the drink that it was not suitable for under four-year-olds but said she thought that was just because there was a lot of sugar in it.

Now she thinks more needs to be done to educate parents on the dangers of these drinks and that venues should not be selling them at all, especially as they offer refills.

The Food Standards Agency has advised that children under four should not be sold the iced drink whilst those under 10 should only drink one.

Marcelle, who stayed in hospital overnight with Rielle, added: “It was terrifying and I would not want anyone else to have to go through that.

“Because she had been unconscious for so long the doctors were worried she might have brain damage but she seems ok now.”

The Food Standards Agency released guidance last August stating the drinks should not be sold to under fours after a risk assessment carried out by the regulator found children may suffer from headaches and sickness caused by exposure to glycerol.

Glycerol is a substitute in sugar often used in slush ice drinks to prevent the liquid from freezing solid to create the "slush" effect.

When high levels of glycerol is consumed – such as if a child drinks several slush products in a short space of time – glycerol intoxication could cause shock, low blood sugar and loss of consciousness, the FSA said.

As the effects of glycerol are linked to body weight, those over the age of four are unlikely to suffer ill-effects from drinking one slush ice drink.

FSA head of additives, Adam Hardgrave, said: “While the symptoms of glycerol intoxication are usually mild, it is important that parents are aware of the risks – particularly at high levels of consumption.

‘If I had left her to sleep she would never have woken up again’

“It is likely that there is under-reporting of glycerol intoxication, as parents may attribute nausea and headaches to other factors.

“We are grateful to those manufacturers who have already taken steps to reduce levels of glycerol, and to those who have already told us they will be adopting our new guidelines.”

A spokeswoman for Gravity said: “Following the guidance from the Food Standards Agency we have reviewed and updated our advice to customers with children under four years with regards to the consumption of slush.

“We continue to monitor and work with all local authorities as new guidance is given.”