A professional ballet dancer from Manchester with a severe peanut allergy has sadly died after eating a mislabelled cookie in the US.
Órla Baxendale lost her life after after suffering severe anaphylactic shock while at a social gathering in Connecticut on 11 January.
The anaphylactic shock came after she had a severe allergic reaction to a vanilla florentine cookie.
The 25-year-old – who was said to have been born and raised in Manchester, and then lived in Helmshore in East Lancashire, before moving to New York in 2018 as a scholarship student to eventually pursue her professional career in dance – had a severe peanut allergy, but the cookie she consumed at the social gathering had no mention of peanut on the ingredient list.
The cookie – which was purchased as part of a pack from US supermarket, Stew Leonard’s – was, in fact, found to have contained peanuts, despite the fact nuts were not mentioned as part of the recipe on its packaging, state health officials said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Manchester ballet dancer with severe peanut allergy dies after eating mislabelled cookie in US / Credit: Órla Baxendale (via Instagram)
Stew Leonard Jr, who is the president and chief executive of the retailer, said in a statement issued earlier this week, that the company‘s supplier, Cookies United, made the change from using soy nuts to peanuts in the recipe, without notifying their chief safety officer – however, Cookies United has disputed this, and claimed it informed Stew Leonard’s of the change back in July 2023.
Cookies United said Stew Leonard’s knew the product contained peanuts, and that all products shipped to the supermarket had been labelled accordingly.
ADVERTISEMENT
The supplier said the incorrect label was created by Stew Leonard’s.
Since the news of Órla’s tragic death was announced, tributes to the talented dancer have been pouring in from across the world of arts and entertainment.
The 25-year-old’s family, and former dance schools – the prestigious Elmhurst Ballet School in Birmingham, and the world-renowned The Ailey School in New York – as well as her current professional company, MOMIX, are among those to share their memories.
Órla’s family said in a tribute statement to her: “Órla was truly one of a kind.
“She was a beautiful, radiant, brave soul who always believed she would achieve her biggest dreams – and that’s exactly what she did. She danced her way across the world and lived life to the fullest every day.
“We will never recover from the pain of having her taken from us so soon, in the prime of her life. But we are also so proud to call her our daughter and sister, and to have had the privilege of sharing 25 years with such an incredibly special person.
“It is incomprehensible that allergies can take lives in 2024, and we want to urge everyone to educate yourselves and those around you about anaphylaxis, how to use EpiPens and the early warning signs for severe allergic reactions.
“We have been overwhelmed by the hundreds of messages coming in from across the world, from all the people who loved Órla and will never forget meeting her or seeing her dance. It is clear that she meant so much to so many people, with her mesmerising talent, her cheeky nature and her incredible compassion for others.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The truth is, Órla got more out of life in 25 years than most do in a lifetime – and she will now live on in all our hearts forever.”
Casemiro is leaving Manchester United at the end of the season
Danny Jones
Manchester United player Casemiro has confirmed that he will be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of the season.
The veteran CDM and European footballing legend joined Man United back in 2022 for around £70 million from his former team, Real Madrid, where he won everything over the best part of a decade.
Now, Old Trafford fan favourite ‘Cas’ (full name, Carlos Henrique José Francisco Venâncio Casimiro) is set to leave United following the expiration of his current and highly lucrative deal this summer.
Announcing his pending departure in an emotional video, the seasoned Brazilian midfielder admitted that he feels the time is right to leave the club – but not before giving his “everything” in the remainder of the current campaign.
Writing in the caption of the social media post, Casemiro said: “Knowing when stages come to an end. Knowing when to say goodbye when you feel that you will be remembered and respected forever.
“Four months to give my all for this badge and for our goal. Eternal respect and affection for Manchester United and its wonderful fans. Forever Red Devil.”
Responding underneath the partnered post, the club simply wrote: “Once a Red, always a Red.”
Now 33 years old and already being accused of being ‘over the hill’ even when he first landed in Manchester, Casemiro had an impressive first season under Erik ten Hag and quickly became a crucial cog in the squad; arguably, overly relied upon, some would say.
On the other hand, given his age and the fast pace of English football, it’s fair to say he’s done well to keep up with the most competitive league on the planet.
He is also one of the well-paid talents in the Premier League, so while the majority of supporters will be gutted to see him go, the board will still be relieved to see his estimated £350,000-a-week wages taken off the books.
Nevertheless, he is now regularly subbed off around the hour mark for Man United, and it’s not exactly a surprise that he is now preparing to move on. INEOS and their recruitment already look to be searching for reinforcements in the middle of the park.
They are looking to bolster their options as they chase down Champions League qualification
Bringing a wealth of experience and leadership to ten Hag, Ruben Amorim, and now Michael Carrick‘s setup for what’s left of the 2025/26 term, he’s a big presence that will no doubt be missed in the dressing room and on the pitch.
Having scored 21 times in 146 games so far, he will finish the season with more than a century of appearances, and we wouldn’t be surprised if you see him chip in with a few more goals before hanging up his red shirt.
Besides being a serial throughout pretty much the rest of his career, the midfield remains a key point of contention at United, and his departure will no doubt mean more talent will need to be brought in at least by the summer.
You can see more of his farewell announcement video down below.
💬 “I will always carry this club with me. I will always be a Manchester United fan.”
Manchester City are reimbursing fans who travelled to watch their defeat against Bodo/Glimt
Danny Jones
A bunch of Manchester City players are preparing to refund fans who travelled to watch the shock defeat against Bodo/Glimt earlier this week.
In case you missed the surprising score, Man City were on the end of a very unexpected result against the Eliteserien side, losing 3-1 in what was the club’s first-ever win in the Champions League.
More than that, it was also the first time a Norwegian team had won in the competition in nearly two decades, making it a historic night for the nation, albeit one to forget for the Blues.
Following the European upset, as a gesture of goodwill towards supporters, select members of the squad from Pep Guardiola’s so-called leadership group have now pledged to cover the trip made by the dedicated away fans, from the match ticket itself to travel costs.
JUST IN: Manchester City's players are reimbursing fans who watched their Champions League defeat against Bodo/Glimt.
They are covering the cost of match tickets for game which Pep Guardiola's side lost 3-1 🚨
The message from City stars is as follows: “Our supporters mean everything to us. We know the sacrifice that our fans make when they travel across the world to support us home and away, and we will never take it for granted.
“We also recognise that it was a lot of travelling for the fans who supported us in the freezing cold throughout a difficult evening for us on the pitch. Covering the cost of these tickets for the fans who travelled to Bodo is the least we can do.”
Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias, Rodri and Scandinavian native Erling Haaland, who had a less-than-ideal return to his home country on Tuesday night, are said to be the individuals covering the fees
As per multiple reports, the figure is said to be just under £10k – approximately £9,357 spread across a total of 374 matchgoers, to be specific.
While the club and the players, specifically, have been praised by plenty for what many have labelled as a ‘classy move’, some are suggesting that the statement actually signals the opposite regarding their opponents, who shone on the night.
Scoring twice in quick succession midway through the first half before bagging the third and ultimately decisive goal in the 58th minute, it could have been four or five.
Bodo/Glimt had moments ruled offside and hit the woodwork in both halves.
Despite City pulling one back and showing promise of getting back in the game through Rayan Cherki, that momentum was quickly crushed when the aforementioned and only recently returning, Rodri, was sent off after a second yellow around the hour mark.
Following the arguably equally unexpected blow in the Manchester derby last weekend, it’s been a tough few days for the players and fans alike, but they still stand a chance of beating Arsenal to the Premier League title this season.
You can see the highlights from the Bodo/Glimt vs Man City game here.
Emily Sergeant -
26th January 2024 
