A fussy five-year-old girl has overcome her phobia of vegetables and now loves Brussels Sprouts – in time for Christmas dinner. 

Local girl Emie Williams would scream and cry if mum Hayley, 33, tried to give her anything except crackers, chips or other 'beige foods'. 

It meant family meals could be fraught, with Emie eating different food and refusing to even try hot dinners. 

Last month Emie had a routine health check and a blood test revealed she had erratic sugar levels. 

Hayley and husband Jamie, 36, took her to A&E and doctors warned them Emie was in danger of developing diabetes unless she changed her diet. 

In desperation Hayley contacted David Kilmurry who specialises in obsessive eating conditions. 

After a series of two-hour sessions, Emie now has 30 foods which she is willing to try. 

Emie's favourite new food is Brussels sprouts which she even eats raw. 

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Mum-of-three Hayley, from Coventry, said: "We tried Emie on everything we could think of but she just wasn't having any of it. 

"She'd just refuse to eat any vegetable or any meat and would only eat crackers and toast for tea with fruit gem sweets for pudding. 

"We took her for check ups and health visitors for advice but they just said give her what she wants because it's probably a phase. 

"I suspected that she could have ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder) because she had all the signs." 

Hayley decided to take drastic action after Emie's energy levels dipped. 

She said: "Emie would get really tired at the end of the day. We also got told off by the dentist who said her diet was not good. 

"When we took her to A&E and the doctors said she could develop diabetes we were really worried. 

"I explained that if I don't give her what she wanted then she wouldn't eat. 

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"We were pretty desperate when we contacted David but the results have been amazing." 

Due to her age, Emie was not hypnotised but David sat with the youngster and gradually encouraged her to try different foods. 

Hayley added: "I sat in all of the sessions and just watched David at work. 

"He'd do magic tricks and talk to Emie to gain her trust and then brought out different foods. 

"Slowly, she tried more and more until she was really enjoying apples and oranges. 

"She was really taken with sprouts, especially eating them raw. 

"I can't wait to see her enjoying her first ever Christmas dinner with all the trimmings." 

David, who runs practices in Coventry and Harley Street, London, said: "ARFID isn't taken seriously enough. 

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"It doesn't just go away. Food is medicine and Emie is already making amazing progress."