A SUDDEN thirst alerted student Vanessa Warren to the fact something might be wrong.

“I couldn’t go on an hours’ trip without a two litre bottle of water,” said Vanessa, now 21, who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in December 2014.

“I thought it was me just being really healthy. But there was an incident at a foam party where I fainted and they threw me out because they thought I was drunk.”

Her mum, a nurse, realised something was wrong. Doctors conducted a blood sugar test and quickly diagnosed diabetes.

Vanessa, who is originally from Dorset but studied at Bath Spa University, was one of around three dozen young people living with Type 1 diabetes who met at the County Ground.

The event, called The Big One, brought together youngsters aged 16-26. Verity McLelland of Diabetes UK, which organised the event, said: “The purpose of today is to get everybody together who’s got Type 1 diabetes, so they know they’re not alone and they’re better informed and don’t feel so isolated – because it can feel isolating.”

That point was backed up by student Vanessa: “This is the first time I have ever met anyone else with diabetes. You can’t stop thinking about the condition. It’s always there in the back of your mind.”

Luisa Moccia, whose daughter Sabrina lost her life to diabetes in January 2016 aged just 33, said her daughter also felt isolated.

The founder of charity Sabrina’s Mile, which fundraises for diabetes causes in Swindon, said: “For me, it’s such an important thing to get people together. Sabrina felt quite alone at times. This event would have been so beneficial for her.”

Sabrina’s Mile helped to sponsor the youth event.

Young diabetes patients also heard from international sprinter Melanie Stevenson. After she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2001, the sporty youngster was introduced to athletics through school.

Melanie, 30, from Cardiff, said: “Having Type 1 diabetes doesn’t need to stop you achieving your sporting dreams or whether your dreams lie elsewhere.”

She said she initially felt shocked when she was handed her diagnosis: “But because you feel so unwell there’s also a sense of relief you know what’s going on.”