Plymouth woman who woke up with a Chinese accent

A Plymouth woman who woke up one morning with a Chinese accent is the subject of a BBC documentary which airs tonight.

Sarah Colwill, 38, who began speaking in a Chinese accent two years ago, has been diagnosed with Foreign Accent Syndrome, an incredibly rare condition which has had only 62 recorded cases between 1941 and 2012.

The documentary which airs on BBC1 tonight, features a scene in which Sarah meets Kay Russell, 58, who also suffers from the condition speaking with a French accent.

During their conversation Sarah explains her frustration at doctors not knowing the cause of her condition weather the syndrome is neurological or a form of psychosis.

Both women report having severe migraines in the years leading up to their accent changes but too little is known about the condition to draw any real conclusions from the shared symptoms.

As the root cause cannot be identified there is little which can be done to treat the condition although voice therapy has been given to some with the condition.

The Woman Who Woke Up Chinese airs at 10:35pm on BBC1