A five-year-old boy collapsed and died after drinking ice cold water while he was playing with pals in 40 C temperatures.

Samir Mohamed was riding his bike in the Egyptian city of Tanta, located between Cairo and Alexandria, when he stopped to take a drink of iced water.

However, the young lad reportedly collapsed and died before he reached hospital with doctors saying a sharp drop in blood circulation caused his untimely death.

Cardiovascular consultant Dr Alaa el-Ghamrawy said drinking iced water can have a catastrophic effect on the heart rate.

The heart expert is quoted in local media as saying: “The sudden drinking of very cold water, especially after exercise, could lead to stimulation of the Vagus nerve, which is main nerve that controls specific body functions including heart rate, and could lead to irregular heartbeats or cause them to stop, and therefore endanger the person’s life.”

The doctor also said that drinking iced water can cause a sore throat and stimulate bacterial and viral infections.

Tanta University Hospital reportedly received the boy’s body on 24th July and carried out an autopsy before handing it over to his family for burial.