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On Sunday 18 February 2018, . A few days later she thought she had flu but by the Thursday night she was so unwell that her husband, , rushed her to hospital. .

She died in the early hours of Friday 23 February 2018 leaving behind three children (Poppy, Jake and Mia), a husband and The Archers' listeners in turmoil.

Sepsis affects more than 250,000 people every year in the UK. It claims approximately 6 million lives worldwide every year, and kills more people than bowel, breast and prostate cancer and road accidents combined. It has been called the and yet it can happen to anyone.

What is sepsis?

• Sepsis is triggered by infections, but is actually a problem with our own immune system going into overdrive.
• It starts with an infection that can come from anywhere - even a contaminated cut or insect bite.
• Normally, your immune system kicks in to fight the infection and stop it spreading.
• But if the infection manages to spread quickly around the body, then the immune system will launch a massive immune response to fight it.
• This can also be a problem as the immune response can have catastrophic effects on the body, leading to septic shock, organ failure and even death.
• There are 44,000 deaths from sepsis in the UK every year, 14,000 of those are preventable *Source: UK Sepsis Trust.

How did Nic get sepsis?

was 37 when she died. She was married to Will and was raising four children: young Poppy, and (from Nic's previous relationship), and (from Will's previous marriage to Emma). Theirs was a busy house.

Nic and her grandfather-in-law were sorting through an old crate of junk that was to be sold at a vintage fair. Being that most of the items in the crate were Joe's he was reluctant to part with them, Thinking nothing of it she told Joe she'd "see to it in a minute". It was this injury that became infected and then developed into sepsis.

In the days that followed Will reported that Nic had a cold, it got rapidly worse, and when Will returned home late after working he found her ".

At the hospital the doctor told Will that Nic was suffering from a life-threatening condition called sepsis, also known as blood poisoning. They found a badly infected cut on her arm. Will was confused, Nic had told him it was only a scratch but the doctor explained that it must have become infected.

As Nic's vital organs began to fail, the doctor then told Will that Nic would like to see the children and that he shouldn’t wait until the morning to bring them in. This is the moment the audience understand the true gravity of the situation.

Nic and Will's story is a familiar one to many families, 60,000 people in the UK suffer from the permanent, life-changing after-effects of sepsis.

What can be done?

Dr Ron Daniels of UK Sepsis Trust, says that 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. If caught within the first hour, a junior healthcare professional, using just basic healthcare equipment can double a patient’s chances of survival.

"In 2017, the World Health Organisation (WHO) adopted a resolution on sepsis which makes the condition a global priority for policy makers and healthcare authorities. WHO will now formulate a global action plan on sepsis, and include it as a critical condition for countries to address."

How to spot sepsis

Sepsis could occur as the result of any infection. Seek medical help urgently if you develop any of the following:

• Slurred speech or confusion

• Extreme shivering or muscle pain

• Passing no urine (in a day)

• Severe breathlessness

• Skin mottled or discoloured

.

In July 2007 from a previous relationship, Jake and Mia, on the bus. As he helped her with her buggy and bags, they started chatting and by the end of the bus journey the two had arranged to meet for a date with their children. By Christmas they were living together and after some ups and downs (money worries, spats with Emma and Ed, and being accused of mistreating George) married a few years later New Year’s Day 2012.

Far from being a 'bridezilla', Nic showed herself to be kind and generous agreeing to Joe’s wish that the newlyweds would take a ride in Bartleby’s trap with its canopy made from a bright orange tent – "it glows so much you can see it from outer space", Will said of it. Understanding how much it meant to Joe, Nic was unfazed and the two did a lap of honour around the village green in the freezing cold.

Since then, Nic and Will have had Poppy, and Nic has become a regular helper at Junior Church, organised the nativity, been hired and fired from the Bull and kept the Grundys on the straight and narrow.

Nic will be sorely missed, it's now up to Will to take care of the children and hold things together, which will be tough, but he's got the full support of the Grundy family behind him.