A mum left terrified after her young son began to choke on a lollipop has issued an important warning to other parents.
Rhee Miller is urging “everyone with young children” not to give them lollipops.
The Birmingham-based mother had treated her young son to a blackcurrant flavoured lollipop by the popular confectionary brand Swizzels, but admitted on social media in a now-viral post that she’s “never been so scared in all [her] life,” after he began to choke on it.
She wrote on Facebook: “I urge everyone of you with young children to NOT give these lollipops to them, or any lollipop in fact.
“I’ve never been so scared in all my life.
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“My son sucked it right off the stick to the back of his throat and swallowed it where it then got lodged blocking his airways leaving him not breathing. As you can see the lolly is still intact not even bitten and it’s slid right off the stick.”
“They are not worth our precious baby’s lives,” she concluded.
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The post – which was shared publicly on Facebook yesterday – has amassed well over 600 comments and more than 8,000 shares from parents expressing their shock, spreading word of her important warning, and revealing their own similar experiences.
One shocked parent commented: “I’m a Mum of 3, and I would never let my young kids have any lollipop or boiled sweet etc until they were old enough. Or if not at all. They are hard for your teeth as well and they do come off really easily.”
She added: “It is just irresponsible to give that sort of sweet to any young child… and even if the child wants it, it isn’t worth the risk just for the sake of a parent letting them try it once.
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“Your child’s life is more important than sweets like that.”
Another parent admitted an incident like this was her “absolute worst nightmare”, with others also claiming they would never allow their children to have them.
While there was some discussion in the comments around the age children should be allowed to consume lollipops, one parent said defiantly: “Do not give any child a boiled sweet on a stick [as] you wouldn’t give them a boiled sweet without a stick.”
Do you agree?
Featured Image – Swizzels
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Chester Zoo is offering £1 tickets to families who ‘struggle to afford’ a festive day out
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo is offering £1 tickets this Christmas to families who may otherwise struggle to afford a festive day out.
Christmas is a time when many of us feel strapped for cash more than ever before, especially for those families on Universal Credit, which is why Chester Zoo is embracing the season of giving by offering thousands of locals the chance to visit the UK’s largest charity zoo for a fraction of the price of normal entry tickets.
The discounted tickets will be available for anyone claiming Universal Credit on visits from today (18 December) right up until New Year’s Ever (31 December), and they’ll need to be booked online in advance.
This brilliant initiative is a new addition to the zoo’s long-running Community Connections Scheme, which aims to reduce financial barriers to visiting for households and community groups.
Chester Zoo is offering £1 tickets to families on Universal Credit this festive season / Credit: Chester Zoo
Tickets priced at £1 will be available to people receiving Universal Credit, including claimants of Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Income Support or Jobseeker’s Allowance, and Housing Benefit.
Chester Zoo said the scheme is designed to help families on lower incomes enjoy the zoo during the festive period and connect with nature.
“We know that spending time outdoors and around wildlife can have a really positive impact on people, and we hope this helps more families enjoy a special day out together over the festive period, especially when this time of year can be difficult for many,” commented Charlotte Smith, who is Chester Zoo’s Director of Conservation Education.
“We hope this brightens the season for many more households.”
A maximum of six people per household can attend under the scheme – with children aged 12 months and under and carers admitted free of charge.
Featured Image – Chester Zoo
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One in 10 Brits are fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
We’re in peak office Christmas party season right about now.
With just under two weeks to go until the big day itself is here, many businesses across the UK are treating their staff to night out to celebrate both the festive season and all of the hard work they have been putting in throughout the year… and as you can expect, these are usually quite eventful gatherings, shall we say.
But now, a survey by has shed light on just how ‘eventful’ they actually are, as a new survey has revealed that, apparently, one in ten Brits face some sort of disciplinary action or dismissal due to their behaviour at Christmas parties.
The study was conducted by After Drink, and included more than 2,000 participants.
During the research, it was highlighted that 89% of employees admitted to drinking alcohol at these events, Lad Bible reports – with 65% of these confessing that they drank “excessively”.
One in 10 Brits get fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party / Credit: Kraken Images | Mimi Thian (via Unsplash)
There are a multitude of incidents which could lead to disciplinary action in the workplace nowadays, but according to the survey, some of the common reasons following festive celebrations with colleagues included inappropriate comments (23%) and even getting into fights (21%).
16% of these incidents were because of drug use during the event, while inappropriate interactions with colleagues accounted for 14%.
Some of the legal reasons you can be fired from your place of work after a Christmas party include gross misconduct, drunken behaviour, and fighting of any kind.
Despite all these risks, however, Christmas parties still remain as popular as always, and a whopping 79% of respondents said they are planning to attend theirs this year.
The Manc -
6th September 2021 
