THE 21-year-old daughter of Forest of Dean Glamorgan and England cricketer Steve James died after failing to receive the correct treatment, an inquest was told.

BBC Wales News reported that University of South Wales journalism student Bethan James died in February 2020 die to a combination of sepsis, pneumonia and Crohn's disease, having recently been diagnosed with the latter condition.

Bethan's mother Jane James told the hearing at Pontypridd Coroner’s Court the sepsis could have been treated, but medical staff missed opportunities to deal with it and had been dismissive of her condition, despite her daughter being seen at hospital several times in the days before her death.

At no point were the family told about the possibility of sepsis and she was admitted to University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff on February 8 when her condition worsened before dying next day, reported BBC Wales.

Mrs James said Bethan was a "caring" and "beautiful" soul who always put others first.

Having suffered gastrointestinal issues for much of her life, she had become increasingly ill in the days leading up to her death, she added, but was given a diagnosis of hemiplegic migraine on February 2, only to collapse from exhaustion on February 3.

When her parents took her to A&E, the consultant was “very dismissive”, despite her heart rate being “off the scale’” which staff blamed on a faulty machine.

Her daughter looked ‘dreadful’ in bed on the Saturday afternoon, and she called 999 leading to her admission to hospital, where she died the following day.

Mrs James said if she had been diagnosed correctly and given the right care and treatment for sepsis she could have survived.

Describing the situation at the hospital after her admission as 'chaos', she told the inquest: "It's heartbreaking as a mum to know that her life could have been saved. They didn't know what they were doing."

Dr Mark Willis, a neurology specialist registrar, treated Bethan twice at the A&E prior to her admission, and recommended her discharge after tests before returning later that week.

He apologised to the inquest about telling her parents that a 17-year-old with similar symptoms had made a full recovery, and said his intention was to be comforting.

Welsh Ambulance Service paramedic Paul Humphries said he attended Bethan's home on February 8 and summoned an ambulance crew, telling them he suspected she could be suffering from sepsis, an infection or Addison's disease.

Mr Humphries said he would not have done anything differently, but was "shocked" to hear she had later died.

Forest sports star Steve James, Bethan’s Lydney-raised father who also played rugby for his home town club and still coaches cricket at Monmouth School which he attended as a pupil, was in Dublin covering the Ireland v Wales Six Nations match for The Times, when news reached him that his daughter had fallen critically ill in Cardiff.

The former Glamorgan star, who scored 15,890 runs in a prolific 17-year career, wrote on social media two days after her passing: "We have the most indescribably devastating news that our beautiful daughter Bethan suddenly passed away on Saturday evening.

"Our hearts are broken. She was the most wonderfully caring and kind daughter and sister to Rhys."

The inquest continues.