Mum's urgent warning after beloved daughter, 20, suddenly dies on night out

A mum has issued an urgent plea after her beloved daughter, 20 suddenly died.

Heartbroken mum Catrina Proctor is desperate to raise awareness about the dangers of laughing gas following the sudden death of her daughter Amy Louise Leonard. Amy, from Bolton, had been out with friends when she fell ill and had to be rushed to hospital.

She admitted to her mum that she had taken nitrous oxide. On Tuesday, last week Amy died surrounded by her friends and family after doctors a blood clot on her heart and lungs. Police have since launched and investigation to her death, her family said.

Proctor said: "She had been staying at a hotel and was going out with some friends. The next thing I spoke to my eldest daughter who said Amy Lou was in hospital.

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“I went straight there and it became clear that it was because she had been misusing balloons. When I had spoken to her before about how she was feeling, she just said she was low on iron.”

Catrina said her daughter had suffered an injury to her ankle from a car crash three years prior, and had been struggling with her mental health and had reported bouts of dizziness over the last few weeks. When she spoke to Amy in hospital, she asked her why she had taken nitrous oxide.

“She said it gave her a buzz,” Catrina said. "Young people are using it, and it’s becoming really addictive. Last week I saw a lad driving and doing it at the same time. I never knew anything about balloons before this.

“I saw the canisters on the ground, but I didn’t know the dangers of them. They freeze your insides and can make you paralysed. Amy couldn’t walk when they took her into hospital.

“She passed away after not being able to move, they found a blood clot to her lungs and her heart.” Catrina added: “I don't know how many may have been killed by using this, but it needs to stop.

"I had spoken to her in August asking her if she was OK, and she said she was fine, just low on iron. I asked her if that's why she felt so dizzy and unwell, and she said yes and that she was going to the doctors about how she felt.

"If for one second I knew she was misusing this nitrous oxide balloons, I would have done my absolute best to get her some help. I didn't know. "

Speaking about Amy, affectionately called Amy Lou by those closest to her, she said she was the ‘life of the room’ and ‘always brought happiness’ to those around her. She was a makeup artist and worked at the Crown of Beauty on Bury Road in Bolton, her mum said.

“She was absolutely amazing at makeup, she loved it. She was bubbly, she enjoyed music and was such an outgoing and bubbly person. She would make you feel welcome, she was that type of person. Her favourite time of the year is Halloween and Christmas, and would absolutely love being out in the sun.”

One of four, and auntie to her nephew, Amy was ‘loved by everyone’. “It just doesn’t feel real and we’ve had so many people reaching out, we’ve had a lot of support. We are trying our best.”

Catrina said Greater Manchester Police and the Coronial service are now looking into Amy’s death. The family are hoping to raise awareness, and are in the process of submitting a Parliamentary petition calling for stronger controls and national awareness campaigns to highlight the true dangers of nitrous oxide misuse.

“We don’t want sympathy; we want change. These canisters need to be removed from the streets, or there must be stricter laws and enforcement to stop them being so easily accessible. What’s currently in place simply isn’t enough,” Catrina added.

The family are raising money to pay for a funeral fitting for Amy. To support the family’s GoFundMe, please click here.