Schoolboy in coma after drinking DRAIN CLEANER thinking it was a bottle of water

 A SIX-year-old boy was left fighting for his life after accidentally drinking drain cleaner from a bottle he thought contained water.

Schoolboy Sonny was left fighting for his life after drinking drain cleaner thinking it was water

Sonny Arthur suffered severe internal burns and was left in a critical condition after drinking the dregs of the bottle which had been left on a kitchen worktop at his home.The drain cleaner had been poured into an old water bottle and then tipped down a drain.

However the youngster picked up the near empty bottle and drank the few droplets left thinking it was water.

Sonny and his dad Ian Arthur

His mum Vikki, 45, called for an ambulance after noticing his lips looked sore - and he was rushed to Great Ormond Street Hospital where he was placed in an induced coma.

She said: "The contents had already been tipped down the drain but there were still a few extra droplets which Sonny thought was water.

What happened to Sonny was a freak accident and it could have happened to anyone

Jenna Wingrave, a family friend

"The paramedics checked him over and said that something wasn't right.

"They rushed him to Great Ormond Street that night and put him in an induced coma."

Sonny, from Hatfield Peverel, Essex, was found to have digested caustic soda crystals from the heavy duty cleaning product, leaving him with serious internal burns.

He spent two weeks in hospital following the incident on December 17 and was allowed home on New Year's Day, but now has to eat through a tube due to the damage to his insides.

Sonny will still have to attend regular appointments at Great Ormond Street to treat the lasting effects of the freak accident.

Jenna Wingrave, a family friend, has set up a fundraising page to help ease the financial burden of Vikki, dad Ian 51, and sister Abbie, 16, having to travel back and forth to the capital.

Jenna, 33, said: "The Arthurs are such a wonderful family and this whole ordeal has totally shocked everyone, so I just wanted to give them all a boost.

"What happened to Sonny was a freak accident and it could have happened to anyone.

Sonny with his mother Vikki

"The bottle was standing on the side. Vikki thought he'd hit his head at first but then she noticed his lips looked sore.

"She wasn't getting much sense out of him so she called an ambulance.

"Although now stable, Sonny's road to full recovery will be a long and painful one.

"But he is part of a fantastic, loving and strong family."

Jenna's Go Get Funding page has already raised more than £2,000 since being set up on Christmas Eve and any surplus funds will be donated to Great Ormond Street Hospital.