Young pregnant mum thrown across room and knocked out by massive electric shock as she switched on Christmas tree lights

Nicola Wilson, 19, was thrown across the room after she turned on the lights and left afraid for the safety of her unborn baby

Nicola Wilson and son Harvey (Photo: SWNS)
A young pregnant mum was thrown across the room and knocked out cold after switching on the Christmas tree lights in her damp and mouldy flat.
Nicola Wilson had just decorated the tree with her two-year-old son, Harvey when she reached behind an armchair to plug the lights in.
But the 19-year-old was unaware of how wet the socket and surrounding wall were - and got a massive electric shock that jolted her backwards and knocked her out.
Nicola, who is expecting another boy after Christmas, said: "I leaned over the armchair and used one finger to flick the switch.
"The shock jolted me back into the room. My partner said I blacked out for a minute and when I came round, I burst into tears.
"I had a tightness in my chest like someone had pressed it really quickly.
"It was quite scary but that didn't last long. The shock went up to my elbow then back the other way. It was about two hours before the feeling went off completely."
Nicola dialled 111, the NHS non-emergency number, and an ambulance was called, with the paramedic writing in his call-out report: "House is damp, walls visibly wet and mouldy, plug sockets wet."
She was not taken to hospital as her baby was moving but was advised to call her midwife, GP or go to A&E if she had any concerns.
Nicola had been placed in the privately owned flat in Barming by Maidstone borough council this summer but has complained about the damp from the first day.
Earlier this month, she spent five days with no hot water after weeks with a temperamental boiler, so has decided against a home birth with her second child.
Other complaints include a lack of lighting in the communal stairwell, no door to the living room, so heat easily escapes, steep stairs to the flat, loose carpets and the oven not working for six weeks.
Nicola, her partner, Ryan Andrews and her dad, Steve Wilson have repeatedly cleaned the walls and dried out the flat by opening windows or turning on the heating.
But she claims the mould always returns.
Dad Steve said: "We don't expect Disneyland but it's got to be liveable."
"The conditions she's living in, with the amount of mould and water running down the walls, could have killed her."
The council maintained there was nothing wrong with the electrics but admitted there was a damp problem and said Nicola should try and "reduce the amount of moisture in the home".
John Littlemore, head of housing and community services, said: "The property was inspected in June before the client moved in.
"There were no category one or high category two hazards present and the electrical report found the electrical system to be satisfactory, safe and compliant with current requirements.
"Subsequent testing of the electrical system by a qualified electrician at the request of the landlord has produced no reports of any defects.
"Officers from the council have visited the property on two further occasions since this complaint and an issue of condensation dampness has been identified.
"Tenants who have a condensation dampness issue are advised to reduce the amount of moisture in the home, ventilate after bathing, cooking and keep a constant moderate temperature in the home."
Mr Littlemore said the council had told the freeholder to install new doors and a handrail in the communal area.
He added: "Any tenant who has a disrepair issue in their property should contact their landlord in the first instance - the council can only intervene if an issue is not suitably resolved in a reasonable period of time."