A toddler started choking in front of his terrified mum after a lollipop came off its stick and got stuck in his throat.
Baker, two, started struggling for breath after being given the lolly as a treat at the hairdressers. Mum Amy Mantle was left terrified after she struggled to remove the sweet.
Hairdresser Gemma Fairhurst frantically came to the rescue by holding Baker upside down and repeatedly hitting his back to dislodge the lollipop.
Now Amy, a public speaker, has warned other parents of small children to be extra careful with lollies - and promote first aid training.
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Amy, of Bispham, Blackpool, said: “Normally I’m so paranoid about things and I never give my children lollies, grapes or Maltesers, but I thought because 'he’s sat on my knee and he’s really behaving, one won’t hurt.'
“It made me realise that a one-off could be fatal and awareness is needed of the dangers of these lollies.
“It was just horrific and I was shaking all day – I'll never forgive myself for putting him or myself through that.”
Boutique owner Amy was getting her hair done at You Hair and Beauty Lounge in Thornton-Cleveleys and had bought her son Baker along with her.
She realised something was wrong when his shoulders began to bob up and down.
When she asked if he was okay, he didn’t answer and she realised something was seriously wrong when he continued to shake.
Quick-thinking hairdresser Gemma pulled Baker off her lap and held him upside down before hitting his back and after 30 seconds, the sweet came loose.
Amy said: “Baker can be quite hyperactive, but he was sat on my knee and really behaving himself.
“I thought one lolly wouldn’t hurt – he licked it a couple of times and within sixty seconds he held up the stick and showed me the sweet had come off the end.
“It was in his mouth and it sounded like he crunched it, so I just told him to be careful – then he did a little cough like he was trying to clear his throat.
“He made eye contact with me in the mirror and his shoulders started bobbing up and down but he’s a bit of a clown and likes to make people laugh so I asked if he was okay again.
“His shoulders started moving faster and that was when my hairdresser shouted ‘he’s not alright’ and I realised he wasn’t breathing.
“The sweet from the lolly was stuck in his throat – I leaned him forwards and hit him on the back as hard as I could but it was like it was all in slow motion.
“My hairdresser swung the chair around and tipped him upside down, she was hitting him in the back for probably thirty seconds and another lady ran over to help.
“As I was about to pick up my phone to call 999 he started crying and the lolly came out of his mouth.
“He burst out crying and I scooped him up and went and sat on the other side of the salon – I held him for about twenty minutes.
“I’ve never experienced anything like that fear in my life – if my hairdresser wasn’t there Baker wouldn’t be here today.
“I will never say a one-off won’t hurt, it made me realise the fact I don’t actually have first aid training and a lot of mums don’t.
“My advice to other parents never give children lollies, I think they should be banned and a lot of people feel the same.
“Just always trust your gut – a one-off really can be fatal and it’s just not worth the risk.”
