I was worried & ready to march them to doctor

Rebecca Jane, 32, of Clitheroe, Lancs, is mum to Peaches, five, and Paris, 11. Tried Red Bull, 250ml (95p) and Monster Energy, 500ml (79p)

“‘Oh good God, I think I’ve killed my daughter’. That was my reaction when I took my 11-year-old’s blood pressure and heart rate 20 minutes after giving her an energy drink. I was mortified.

“I will be the first to admit I once had an addiction to Red Bull. I could drink six cans a day. I didn’t think they had any effect on me and my daughters saw it as normal.

“Peaches isn’t the most healthy child, being overweight. Paris is the opposite, exceptionally healthy and very active. They were both excited to try their first energy drink in the name of research.

“Both children sat doing nothing – so watching the levels rise was traumatic. The highest readings came between 20 and 35 minutes after consumption. I had severe concerns, if they had gone any higher I was ready to march them to a doctor.

“I was expecting the children to be bouncing off the walls. But, bar giddiness from both over the look of trauma on my face, they seemed perfectly normal. That concerns me most. If I hadn’t monitored the findings I would have had no idea. I would probably have let them do it again.

Paris hated the taste. Peaches only liked the smell, which she described as ‘seaweed’. This meant they were more than happy when I told them they will never be allowed another energy drink in their lives. My nerves, conscience and their young, underdeveloped systems simply couldn’t handle that again.”