Even a small scratch can kill

London, Feb 16 (UNI) An 18-year-old carpentry student died four months after cutting his finger on a holiday in Spain.

Matthew Corbett suffered from rare illness a plastic anaemia, which affects just one in 250,000.

The 5mm scratch caused an infection all the way up the carpentry student's arm, the Daily Miror reported today.

Doctors could diagnose his illness only when he fell ill, and found he needed a lifesaving bone marrow transplant.

Tragically Matthew died a day before he was due to have the operation.

''The cut was so small. I can't believe that was what killed him,'' Matthew's distraught dad Les said.

Matthew's brother Daniel died at the of age 12 from Addison's disease in 1995.

UNI XC MS RS1617