'I screwed up big time... I think I'm going to die': Inquest hears how university student sent heartbreaking text after taking accidental overdose of toxic slimming pills

• Eloise Parry, from Shrewsbury, drove herself to hospital after taking pills
• They contained highly-toxic substance known as Dinitrophenol or DNP
• 21-year-old sent text to lecturer from hospital four hours before she died
• She wrote: 'I'm so sorry for being so stupid. I think I'm going to die'
• Speaking after inquest, her mother Fiona Parry, 51, said: 'Looking good should never cost you your health or your life. DNP: Do Not Purchase'

By Steph Cockroft for MailOnline

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Eloise Parry, 21, (pictured), who had a history of bulimia, died after taking an accidental overdose of toxic diet pills

A university student sent a heartbreaking final text apologising for 'being so stupid' after taking an accidental overdose of slimming pills which killed her hours later, an inquest has heard. 

In a message sent from hospital just four hours before her death, 21-year-old Eloise Parry, who was known as Ella, told her university lecturer and tutors she had 'screwed up big time', adding: 'I think I am going to die'.

That afternoon, medics desperately tried to save the young woman but she died after 'burning up from within'.

The inquest heard Ms Parry, who had a history of bulimia, had 'binged' on the pills after buying them online in a bid to lose weight. They contained a highly-toxic substance known as Dinitrophenol, or DNP, which has no antidote.

The message, which was read aloud at the inquest, read: 'Binged/purged all night and took four pills at 4am. I took another four when I woke and I started vomiting soon after.

'I think I am going to die. No one is known to survive if they vomit after taking DNP. I am so scared.'

She added: 'I am so sorry for being so stupid.'

Two hours being sending the message, the student had driven herself to hospital, fearing the pills had made her ill. But she had no idea how much danger she was in until she was seen by medics.

At the inquest, Shropshire Coroner John Ellery ruled Miss Parry's death had been accidental and that he would be writing to the Government to urge a review of the classification of DNP, which is currently marketed as a 'fat burning' pill.

Following the verdict, her mother Fiona Parry, a 51-year-old chemistry teacher, also issued an impassioned plea, urging others not to take the pills.

The mother-of-five, who teaches to A-Level students at an independent school in Shropshire, said her daughter had known of the dangers of DNP but had decided that 'being slimmer was worth the risk'.

Breaking down in tears outside the inquest, she said: 'I would implore anyone even considering taking DNP or something similar not to do so. You are taking substances that will ultimately destroy your health and your looks from the inside out.

'So please don't do it: looking good should never cost you your health or your life. DNP: do not purchase; do not partake; do not, please... Death's not pleasant.' 

The inquest heard how Miss Parry, from Shrewsbury, had driven herself to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital just after 9.30am on April 12 after taking the tablets and beginning to feel unwell. 

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Her mother Fiona Parry (right) and her sister Becky (left) pictured arriving at today's inquest into Eloise's death. Mrs Parry, a chemistry teacher, has made several public pleas about the danger of diet pills 

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Miss Parry had driven herself to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on April 12 after taking the tablets and beginning to feel unwell. After having toxicology tests and releasing she was in danger, she sent the text 

As she was still completely lucid, the young woman did not believe she was in serious danger. But when doctors carried out a toxicity test, it quickly became clear that she had taken a significant overdose. At around 11.30am, she sent her final text message.

Medical staff then tried to help but were forced to watch on helplessly as Miss Parry's metabolism began to soar and she started to overheat. Despite desperate attempts to stabilise her, she died at 3.25pm that day. 

'LOOKING GOOD SHOULD NEVER COST YOU YOUR LIFE': HEARTFELT PLEA FROM ELOISE'S MOTHER  

Speaking after the inquest mother, Eloise's mother Fiona Parry, issued an impassioned plea, urging others to avoid taking the pills.

She told the BBC: 'Eloise decided that even though she had been told DNP was dangerous, being slimmer was worth the risk.

'She was convinced the dangers were being exaggerated and sometimes she even thought she was being lied to about it. She was wrong - if anything it was even more dangerous that she'd ever been told.

'She weighed the pros and cons and made a bad choice which cost her her life.

'I would implore anyone even considering taking DNP or somthing similar not to do so. These substances are sold by people who don't care about your health - they just want your money.

'You can't know whether or not you are getting what you paid for and, probably, you're not. It will almost certainly be impure and the impurities could be really nasty.

'You also don't know what dose you're getting - it can vary hugely. There will be absolutely no quality control in the production of these substances. 

'You are taking substances that will ultimately destroy your health and your looks from the inside out.

'So please don't do it - looking good should never cost you your health or your life.

'DNP: do not purchase; do not partake; do not, please; death's not pleasant.'

Ruling that the death was accidental, Mr Ellery said DNP was clearly a dangerous and toxic substance which should not be accessible to people seeking non-prescribed medication.

'I am entirely satisfied that there is no evidence that (Miss Parry took the tablets) with the intention to kill herself,' he said. 

'What is clear is that when took the dinitrophenol, she did it in relation to her eating disorder and her death was an accidental consequence.'  

He added that he intended to write to the Government, telling Miss Parry's family: 'This is something I am going to raise with the appropriate minister.

'This is clearly a dangerous, toxic and fatal substance which should not be accessible, certainly not to persons seeking unlicensed non-prescribed medication.

'I am satisfied and endorse the actions taken by the police and the multi-agencies - they are actively pursuing this on a national and international basis.' 

The inquest heard that Miss Parry used PayPal to buy a quantity of DNP on April 4 and ordered a second batch at 6.14am on the day of her death.  

Mr Chatting, of West Mercia Police, told the coroner that after buying a quantity of DNP, Miss Parry visited websites which highlighted its dangers.

A police investigation is continuing to establish who supplied the tablets, which may have originated in Europe or Canada. 

The officer added: 'I have seen some evidence suggesting that Eloise thought the supplier was from Germany.

'I have information to suggest the supplier is elsewhere in Europe and other information suggesting the source may be in Canada.

'The Food Standards Agency are involved in this investigation, which is ongoing, and there is also involvement from Interpol and partners in the United States.

'Action is being taken to try to prevent these sites operating.'  

In a statement read to the inquest, a friend of Miss Parry, Jade Andrews, said the student had suffered from psychological issues and depression.

Miss Parry had complained of leg pain from muscle deterioration caused by DNP and told Ms Andrews the substance was addictive and dangerous. 

After her death, Mrs Parry said she never believed that her daughter had taken the overdose intentionally.  

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'Being slimmer was worth the risk': Following the inquest, Mrs Parry issued an impassioned plea urging others not to take the pills

In a heart-wrenching statement issued on her behalf by West Mercia Police at the time of Ella's death, Mrs Parry had told how medics fought an 'uphill battle' to save her daughter.

She said she had no idea her daughter had been taking slimming pills until she arrived at A&E to be told by doctors she had died.

The statement read: 'Sunday started out cool and clear. By lunchtime there was a brisk wind, blowing in strong gusts that suggested a storm might be coming.

'Overhead the skies were bright blue, almost cloudless and full of promise. I didn't know it at the time, but Ella had bought slimming tablets on the internet. A substance called DNP that is unsuitable for human consumption because of its toxicity.

'She had taken even more of these 'slimming tablets' than recommended on the pack and had no idea just how dangerous they really were.

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She was joined by (left to right) Eloise's uncle Malcolm, her grandfather Ian, her grandmother Margaret, her sister Rebecca and her cousin Louis 

'How many of us have ever thought "If one tablet works, surely it won't hurt to take one or two more?''

She continued: 'The drug was in her system, there was no antidote, and she had taken a lethal dose. As Ella deteriorated, the staff in A&E did all they could to stabilise her.

'As the drug kicked in and started to make her metabolism soar, they attempted to cool her down, but they were fighting an uphill battle.

'She was literally burning up from within. When she stopped breathing, they put her on a ventilator and carried on fighting to save her. When her heart stopped they couldn't revive her.' 

Ms Parry was a promising student who was in the middle of a Families and Childcare Studied degree at Glyndwr University

Miss Parry was in the middle of a Families and Childcare Studies degree at Glyndwr University when she died. She also volunteered for West Mercia Women's Aid and the YMCA.

The promising student had gone to school in Church Stretton, Shropshire, and achieved three A-Levels at a sixth form in Shrewsbury.

Her mother said Miss Parry 'loved' how exciting life could be and how new experiences 'offered up thrilling possibilities'.

She said: 'It is such a great sadness that her life ended so soon, and, in many ways, ended before it had really had a chance to begin.

'There were so many things that she dreamed of doing - travelling, having a career and having a family - things that she never got a chance to experience.

'She will be greatly missed by everyone who knew her and it will be all the good memories of her that we will cherish as we go through the difficult weeks and months ahead.' 

After today's hearing, she added: 'I would very much like to see much harsher and stiffer penalties for distributing and supplying this substance.' 

Miss Parry left behind her siblings James, 28, Robert, 15, Kyle, 13, and Becky, 17.  

A spokesperson for Glyndwr University, where Miss Parry studied, said: 'Ella was a popular student with staff, peers, across the University and within placement.

'She always strived to do her best in everything and had great potential both academically and in practice. She will be sadly missed by us all.'

Deadly diet pills thought to have killed six young people in Britain are being sold online for just 70p each.

Unscrupulous dealers in the UK and abroad are selling the potentially fatal drug, which contains a toxic chemical used in pesticides and explosives, to those desperate to lose weight.

Some promise next-day delivery, while others even offer free samples for those who want to 'try before they buy'.   

'EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO HUMAN HEALTH': THE DANGERS OF DNP

 DNP is sold as a weight loss aid, but has been described as 'extremely dangerous to human health' by doctors. 

It is sold mostly over the internet under a number of different names but contains 2, 4-Dinitrophenol. 

It is marketed mainly to bodybuilders as a weight loss aid as it is thought to dramatically boost metabolism. 

The manufactured drug is yellow and odourless and was previously used as a herbicide and fungicide. 

It was launched as a slimming aid in the U.S. in the 1930s but then banned in 1938, due to the severe side-effects. 

Depending on the amount consumed, signs of acute poisoning could include nausea, vomiting, restlessness, flushed skin, sweating, dizziness, headaches, rapid respiration and irregular heart-beat, possibly leading to coma and death.

The National Poisons Information Service has said there were just six enquiries from GPs about DNP in 2012 – a year later there were 300.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency cannot take action against manufacturers or distributors because DNP is not classified as a medicinal product.

In theory, the Food Standards Authority could act if DNP was sold for human consumption. But most firms are registered abroad so they fall outside its jurisdiction.

Victims' families have been campaigning for DNP to be classified as an illegal drug, and in 2013, David Cameron promised to 'look carefully' at the issue.

But in March the Home Office told an MP it would not make the drug illegal because it contains no 'psychoactive' properties.