Sleeping Beauty syndrome: Beth fell asleep on the sofa one day and didn't wake up for SIX MONTHS. Five years on, aged 22, she sleeps most of the time - victim of a baffling condition

Beth Goodier (inset), 22, from Stockport, Cheshire, is one of more than 100 young people in Britain diagnosed with Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS) - known as Sleeping Beauty syndrome. In the run-up to her 17th birthday in November five years ago, Beth fell asleep - and didn't wake up properly for six months. For 22 hours a day, she kept
sleeping, only waking in a dream-like trance to take a little food and drink and go to the toilet. Little is known about what triggers the sleep disorder and even less about how to cure it. At the moment, Beth (main picture) is two-and-a half months into another deep sleep episode. Nothing - not drugs, loud noises, pleading or cajoling - will wake her. One person who has stood by Beth is her boyfriend Dan (pictured together, right), a 25-year-old primary school teacher she met during an 'awake' phase three years ago.