A Monmouth teenager has told how a mystery condition causes her to faint, leaving her paralysed from the waist down and with no memory of the event.

Harriet Salmon has been suffering with the debilitating condition, which has left doctors baffled, for a year after passing out while on parade with the Ross and Monmouth Sea Cadets in Ledbury.

"The doctor said there was nothing wrong so we put it down to it being a hot day and thought no more of it," said mum Toni.

"The second time it happened, again we were told it was normal for a girl of her age but to contact our GP if it kept happening."

Harriet (pictured left with mum Toni) started to faint more and more often, at one point passing out 17 times in one day.

Each faint leaves her unable to walk for at least a few hours afterwards and with no memory of the entire day.

"She barely has any memory of the last three months of last year," added Toni.

"Harriet doesn't remember starting sixth form or visiting Nevill Hall Hospital, even though she spent 10 days there."

The 17-year-old has undergone a series of tests and scans by cardiologists or neurologists in Abergavenny and Cardiff but no doctor has been able to tell her what is wrong.

"The only diagnosis we have been given is reflex sycope, which just means fainting and doesn't explain the memory loss or paralysis," said Toni.

"She is a 17-year-old girl who wants to learn to drive and get on with her A-Levels but she can't be left on her own."

Harriet says her friends are now used to her passing out and know what to do, but admits she has no memory of many of the things they talk about.

Although she dreams of a career in the Navy, at the moment Harriet is struggling to complete her AS Level exams due to the amount of school hours she has missed.

Toni added: "Chippenham Surgery have been brilliant and have now gone over the border to Hereford to get a second opinion for us, so hopefully someone will be able to give us an answer soon."

If you know of anyone with a similar condition and who may be able to help Harriet, callus on 01600 712142 or email [email protected]">[email protected]