A mother and her asthmatic daughter who were admitted to hospital following a carbon monoxide leak from the boiler at their home have spoken out following their life-threatening ordeal.

Diss Mercury: Carbon monoxide leak at a property on Hargham Road, Old Buckenham. Photo: Lucy BegbieCarbon monoxide leak at a property on Hargham Road, Old Buckenham. Photo: Lucy Begbie (Image: Archant)

Mother Paula Resende and her daughter Gabriella Nogueira, from Portugal, have lived at the property in Hargham Road, Old Buckenham, with their family for just over a year.

But on Monday the emergency services were called after the two collapsed on the sitting room floor suffering from inhalation of carbon monoxide fumes.

When 18-year-old Gabriella came home from Norwich early that evening, all seemed fine and she chatted to her mum and sister and then took a shower.

But at about 8pm Ms Resende said she was going upstairs because she felt sleepy.

Diss Mercury: Carbon monoxide leak at a property on Hargham Road, Old Buckenham. Photo: Lucy BegbieCarbon monoxide leak at a property on Hargham Road, Old Buckenham. Photo: Lucy Begbie (Image: Archant)

Half an hour later Gabriella and her 11-year-old sister followed.

The 18-year-old said: 'When I opened my bedroom door I smelt a very intense smell. I called my mum and said I can smell something like petrol – mum something is really wrong.

'Mum said to go downstairs and she went outside to check the boiler.

'When she opened the door a huge, intense cloud of smoke came from the boiler cabin and mum shouted: 'Gabriella, we've got a problem with the boiler'.

'After this, my mum came back inside and we were all coughing. My sister didn't seem so bad but I have asthma and my mother has health problems so we were worse.

They opened all the windows and Gabriella tried to get hold of her father, who was working in Thetford.

'I literally heard the wheels eating the road as my step-father arrived – it took him 10 minutes to come from Thetford,' Gabriella said.

'After that I couldn't remember anything until I woke up to find a paramedic shaking me gently.

'He said: 'Gabriella wake up, breathe normally,' and I saw a white cloud. I felt relieved because finally I was getting oxygen.'

The boiler had been serviced earlier that day.

The fire service advised the family not to stay in the property that night and not to switch the central heating on or electricity until it had been checked over.