Millions left in tears as shock storyline sees Archers mum die suddenly from killer sepsis

The Archers' 4.7m listeners were left shocked as mother-of-three Nic Grundy died suddenly of sepsis at the age of 37.   - BBC
The Archers' 4.7m listeners were left shocked as mother-of-three Nic Grundy died suddenly of sepsis at the age of 37. - BBC

It was a moment of mass grieve for millions, leading to motorists pulling over in tears, as a tragic twist in soap The Archers saw one of its stars unexpectedly killed off due to sepsis.

In a storyline mirroring the real life fatal consequences of the condition, the shows 4.7m listeners were left shocked as mother-of-three Nic Grundy died of sepsis at the age of 37.

Rather than being a drawn out plot, within days of scratching her arm the character's wound became infected and she developed blood poisoning also known as sepsis and died.

It left listeners in shock and many tweeted how it left them in tears and some were forced to pull over while driving.

Georgina Joelle tweeted: "When you’re sat sobbing in the car at after school club pick up and one of the mums asks if you’re ok and you have to explain its because you’re listening to @BBCTheArchers and are devastated!"

Fellow fan, Tracy Lewis added: "Driving back from Whitstable on M2 had to pull over onto a lorry car park as the tears started to flow..big beefy lorry driver taps on window asks if I’m ok and offered me his tea from the snack wagon." 

The outpouring of emotion following the show has put a spotlight on the work of charity the Sepsis Trust and has led to a flood of donations.

Sepsis is one of the UK's biggest killers and results in more deaths than bowel, breast and prostate cancer and road accidents combined.

Following the show the Trust said: "Tonight’s storyline on The Archers reflects thousands of real tragedies as Nic Grundy dies of sepsis." 

It affects more than 250,000 people every year in the UK and claims approximately 6 million lives worldwide every year.

Irene McFarlane‏ wrote: "My mum loved The Archers.18 months ago, she died of sepsis. Thank you, @BBCTheArchers, for raising awareness of this devastating illness."

Dr Ron Daniels, of the Sepsis Trust, said if the signs are spotted early enough lives can be saved.

"When sepsis leads to death or does lasting damage, it’s too often because the people involved weren't aware of the condition or how dangerous it is," he said.

"If caught within the first hour, a junior healthcare professional, using just basic healthcare equipment can double a patient’s chances of survival."

Sepsis starts with an infection that can come from anywhere, a contaminated cut or insect bite.

If it spreads quickly enough the immune system reacts by launching a massive response to fight it which can result in the patient going into septic shock, organ failure and even death.

Claire Perrott wrote: "Fantastic that so many opportunities to raise awareness of sepsis are being taken. It is sudden and it can kill, sometimes within a few hours. I’m one of the lucky ones. Well done The Archers."

Signs of the condition include slurred speech or confusion, extreme shivering or muscle pain, severe breathlessness and mottled skin.