Erica Hadley will be able to enjoy her Christmas dinner without pain for the first time in eight years...

But she will be steering clear of turkey and all the trimmings - because she is allergic to it.

For years Erica, 24, suffered crippling pains and stomach problems which kept her awake at night, stopped her going out clubbing and made her life a misery.

Doctors told her the problem was stress-related but test results, which she paid for herself, have revealed the reason was food allergy. With the festive favourites top of the 'banned' list.

"I think I will be having beef on Christmas day - no turkey, no stuffing and wheat-free gravy.

"I'm having Christmas day with my partner's family and they are making a fuss trying to accommodate me. Everyone else will still be having some turkey."

Council drug intervention worker Erica, of Burton Road, Monk Bretton, will miss tucking into the traditional dinner but she knows the pain eating turkey would cause is not worth it.

"My problems started when I was 16 before my exams. It was bad, severe cramping would keep me up at night and I would have to rush to the toilet in the middle of the night.

"I tried numerous drugs and pain killers and went to an acupuncturist. It was frustrating because I knew something was wrong."

Eventually a food intolerance test revealed the cause of her suffering. Since then the difference has been 'unbelievable'. "I have no pain, I don't have to take tablets and I don't have to go to the doctors complaining about it."