FELIXSTOWE mum-of-three Adell Nicholas died from a flu virus which attacked her heart, it was revealed today.Doctors have told her family it would have been virtually impossible to have picked up the virus without blood tests and its symptoms gave no clue to the seriousness of the illness.

FELIXSTOWE mum-of-three Adell Nicholas died from a flu virus which attacked her heart, it was revealed today.

Doctors have told her family it would have been virtually impossible to have picked up the virus without blood tests and its symptoms gave no clue to the seriousness of the illness.

It struck quickly, sapped her energy and killed her within 72 hours, just a week after she had suffered a miscarriage.

Her family have been waiting six weeks while pathologists carried out further tests on tissue from 28-year-old Adell's body to discover the reason behind her death - and have been distressed by rumours she died from other causes.

Her mum, Ross Nicholas said: “It was not drugs or drink, as we have heard some people have been saying, but a condition called myocarditis, a viral flu which affects the heart.

“Like most viral infections it really took all her strength and this one attacks the heart.

“The doctors have told us because the symptoms are like so many other flu and viral infections, the chances of detecting it without blood tests were virtually zero.

“It just happened so quick there was nothing anyone could do. We all thought it was flu or just a very bad stomach upset.”

Doctors have told the family the viral infection, which is understood to cause inflammation of the heart, is rare.

Adell - described as a bright and bubbly young woman, a full-time mum who adored her three children, and was devoted to her friends and family - collapsed and died in the bathroom of her home in King Street, Walton, in late February.

She was found by her three children, Louisha , seven, Kyle, four, and Keelee , two.

Adell had had a miscarriage ten days before she died, but doctors assured her she had no health problems associated with this.

A week later she started feeling tired and ill and her family thought she had a very bad cold coming on,

After she had not slept for 24 hours, and was in pain and could not stop being sick, her mother called the doctor. He gave Adell an injection, advised her to take paracetamol and drink flat coke and lemonade.

At 5.40am the following morning Ms Nicholas received a phone call from Adell's neighbour saying he was worried because the children had been screaming for more than an hour. Ross went round immediately and found her daughter dead.

Did you know Adell - would you like to pay tribute to her? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk