Crunch time
Chelsea Watts, 25, from Market Harborough, couldn’t believe what her boy was choking on…
Turning up the volume on the TV with the remote, I tried to drown out the sound of my boys’ crunching. ‘Could you two munch any louder?’ I joked. The truth was, I was relieved. It was the middle of the summer holidays, and with Leyton, five, and Preston, three, already bored, I was glad they’d settled down for a bit. I’d put on Coco, their favourite film, and they were sat watching it, happily munching away on their packets of Wheat Crunchies. Earlier that day, in the supermarket, Preston had begged me to buy the cheese and onions snacks. ‘Go on then,’ I’d said. Back home, I gave the boys one packet each, and settled on the sofa while they watched the film.
Suddenly, Preston ran over to me in a panic, pointing to his mouth.
‘What have I told you about putting too much food in at once?’ I scolded. But there was no reply. He just kept pointing…
Then I realised – he was choking!
Adrenaline rushed through me and I frantically hit him across his back, putting my other hand in front of his mouth to catch whatever was in there. After the third smack, Preston spluttered out the contents of his mouth and I was left reeling.
‘Oh, my God!’ I cried, as I examined the mushed-up Wheat Crunchies in my hand.
Among the mix was a small, shiny silver object.
Looking closer, I realised it was a metal spring.
‘Mummy, my teeth hurt,’ Preston said, pointing to his mouth.
The spring must have been enclosed in one of the Wheat Crunchies and my poor boy had bitten right into it.
Not knowing what to do, I called my husband, Adam.
‘You need to take some photos and get on the phone to the manufacturers,’ he said.
With that, I took some snaps of the spring before calling up the snack makers, KP Snacks.
‘We’ll need you to send the packet along with the contents to us for further investigation,’ the customer service assistant said.
She didn’t make any mention of reimbursing us or offering compensation.
But that’s not why I raised the complaint – I was fearful more snacks out there might be contaminated.
Now I’m waiting to hear back from KP to find out what went wrong, and what they’re doing to rectify it.
I just thank my lucky stars that I was there when Preston was eating those crisps.
Who knows what would have happened if I’d been in the loo or had my back turned, even for just a few seconds.
I urge other parents to be vigilant when their little ones are eating.