When Michelle Bryant started feeling poorly she dismissed her symptoms as a cold.

But within days she was in hospital being treated for the potentially deadly brain disease meningitis.

The Bradley Stoke mum did not have the classic symptoms of the illness, and doctors at first thought she had a severe migraine.

Michelle herself said meningitis had never crossed her mind as she thought it only affected children and she did not have the tell-tale rash usually associated with it.

Now the 33-year-old is speaking out to make more people aware that adults can fall victim to the disease – and is raising money to fund research into a vaccine.

Within 48 hours of first feeling ill Michelle was violently sick and was taken to Frenchay Hospital.

Doctors put her symptoms down to a severe migraine and prescribed anti-sickness tablets before sending her away.

When she felt no better the next morning, Michelle went to see her GP, who prescribed her painkillers.

Michelle was struck down by meningitis in October and still suffers from its after-effects now.

The mum to Joseph, aged three, and seven-month-old Macy, said: "I just felt very run-down and had a very bad headache.

"Over the next 48 hours it got much worse. My eyes hurt and I couldn't tolerate the light.

"I had pain in my face, eyes and head and my neck was aching.

"Soon I was being violently sick so went to the hospital where I was prescribed anti-sickness tablets. They thought I had a severe migraine caused by sinusitis. Meningitis never crossed my mind."

When her husband, Jordan, took her to Frenchay a second time, Michelle collapsed on the floor of the emergency department.

Despite strong pain relief, Michelle's severe headache did not ease and she was given a CT scan before another consultant suggested checking for meningitis.

"A lumbar puncture confirmed I had meningitis and it was quite a shock.

"I was devastated as I thought it was a disease only children got, but I was glad that after suffering so much pain they had found something was wrong.

"When they realised what was wrong with me and I was taken to the infection ward at Southmead my care was second to none.

"I am alive and well and want to celebrate that."

She still gets headaches and severe tiredness but has realised just how lucky she was not to have been left with worse after-effects.

Michelle organised a Ladies Night for Handprints playgroup last week, which raised about £100 for Meningitis UK's Search 4 a Vaccine Campaign, and she is planning more events.

Downend-based Meningitis UK's chief executive Steve Dayman said: "Every bit of help is so important in enabling us to continue our vital work and will take us one step closer to finding a vaccine and saving lives."

Casey Palmer, spokeswoman for North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs Frenchay Hospital, said: "Meningitis can be difficult to recognise, as symptoms can appear in any order and some may not appear at all. In the early stages, the signs and symptoms can be similar to many other more common illnesses.

"We are glad that Michelle has recovered well and is using her experience to raise awareness of meningitis; we would urge anyone who has concerns to seek medical advice urgently."