'My daughter almost died after choking on 35p lolly, don't let it happen again' - mum's urgent plea

A mum has banned lollipops this Halloween and is urging other parents to do the same - as she claims her daughter went 'lifeless' after choking on a 35p Dip Dab lolly. Natasha Middleton took her seven-year-old daughter Maisie Brackley to their local sweet shop and bought her favourite Dip Dab lolly as a treat for doing well at school on Tuesday 15 October.

The schoolgirl had the lolly in her mouth for 'less than two minutes' before her mum claims it came off the stick and got 'lodged' in the back of her throat. After turning 'blue' and becoming 'lifeless' for 15 seconds, her dad Daniel Brackley, 32, was forced to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre to try to dislodge the sweet before the parents rushed her to hospital.

Thankfully Maisie survived her ordeal and is now resting at home - with the family 'very grateful that their daughter is still alive'. The mum-of-three has now banned any lollipops in her household and shared a post on Facebook urging others to "please be careful what sweets and candy you are giving out or offering this festive and spooky season".

The 27-year-old also encourages parents to learn basic first aid skills because "it could literally happen to anyone". Natasha, a graphic designer who lives in Evesham, Worcestershire, said: "35p nearly killed my daughter.

"It scares me that it could happen to anybody. I picked her up from school, she had an amazing morning and we went to the local shops and bought what she always buys, a Dip Dab lolly."

She continued: "We got home and unpacked the shopping. I gave her the Dip Dab and she had it in her mouth for less than two minutes. All of a sudden it came off the stick, the red top of the Dip Dab, and lodged in the back of her throat.

"I saw my daughter go blue. I was seeing her eyes looking at me going, 'mum, help'. It then decided to go further down into her throat and she became lifeless for quite a while. She can't remember half of what happened.

"We counted 15 seconds but I have a feeling it was a lot more. By this point I was on the phone to 999 and an ambulance was on the way. We then spoke to 999 and told my partner, who thankfully was home from work, and got him to do the Heimlich manoeuvre - under the chest. It wasn't dislodging it.

"Then [we did] five massive blows between the shoulder blades. By this point she still wasn't breathing so we were asked if we knew where our nearest defibrillator was. Thankfully it wasn't needed."

The schoolgirl was rushed to hospital where doctors confirmed her vital organs had returned to normal and she was free to go home but was left with bruises on her chest and back from the Heimlich manoeuvre. However her mum said the lollipop was still lodged in Maisie's throat and she'll have to return for tests to ensure it doesn't get infected.

Natasha said: "Thankfully because she was breathing there was nothing she could do for us. They did warn us she's going to be very sore. She's now on rest.

"It's in her body still, we can't get it out. It's in her body so she's going to have to pass that at some point. There's a risk of infection. For four hours after she could still feel it and you could actually see the bulge in her throat.

"Even though she was at the point where she could breathe, you could still see this in her throat. You could see it every time she coughed. You could see it move up.

"Thankfully we can't see it anymore and she's saying she can't feel anything in her throat. All night I was watching her sleep. I thought 'if she coughs and this comes up she'll choke in her sleep'. It's absolutely horrifying.

"She's very sore at the moment so we've got to go back and she's got to have an x-ray and an MRI. The most horrible thing is whether she's got any broken bones because of the force you have to use to dislodge something. I'm very, very grateful that my daughter's still alive."

The graphic designer admitted she feels 'major mum guilt' over the incident after 'never' thinking this would happen. She has now banned lollipops in their household.

Natasha said: "It's the most harrowing and unpleasant experience to ever go through and horrifying. It's literally like being in a nightmare right there and then. We have completely banned lollipops in our house. About two or three hours after this happened she made us promise we would never have lollipops in this house again.

"I'm one of those that did buy a bag of lollipops. I grabbed them and threw them in the bin outside. I don't even want to risk giving them to any other child. The Dip Dab lolly is the size of a 2p coin. They're really thin and you open it, lick it and dip it in sherbet.

"We never thought it was going to happen to us at all. I feel really mad at myself. I've got major mum guilt over it. It scares me that you can go to the supermarket and buy a pack of lollies for about 99p with about 15 in them which are slightly bigger and more delicate to come off the stick.

"It gives me the shivers but also makes me angry that these are allowed to be on sale. It's making me as a parent a lot more aware. I'm looking at things like 'that's too big'. I'll be like that for the rest of her life. That treat nearly cost my daughter's life."

The mum now urges other parents to be 'vigilant' this spooky season about what sweets they are giving out and letting their kids consume to avoid the same fate. Natasha said: "People are going to be giving these sweets over Halloween. You can't stop that at the end of the day. You can't stop that at the end of the day but be vigilant about the sweets you're giving out, especially with young children.

"My advice to parents is to always check what's in their pumpkin bag or what they're carrying. Please look and be safe about what sweets you are giving children. Never allow a child to start eating the sweets while they're out and about. Wait until you get home and double check those sweets.

"If you're not comfortable with those sweets and have any second thoughts, throw them away. She's seven, she's a strong little cookie anyway but there's children as young as four going out trick or treating. A child younger than her I don't think would be here.

"Also to the people that actually give out the sweets, be vigilant and be careful who you are actually giving these sweets to. Always supervise a child as well. Thankfully I was sitting right next to her. If she was in her bedroom she would've died.

"We would not have heard her and we would have found her dead. That horrifies me and scares me."

As well as being cautious about sweet consumption, the parent encourages families to learn basic first aid skills to help their children in times of emergency. Natasha said: "Thankfully we've been on a paediatric first aid course because we've got a baby now.

"So many parents have not done basic first aid. Nobody knows where you can get basic information from the NHS or St John's ambulance.

"Parents re-reading the first aid basics on the NHS, anything like that and knowing what to do in this circumstance. That's the message I want to get out is please don't think that this will never happen to you. We were one of these people.

"We've never had any experience when it comes to choking. I've always been careful with things, cutting up grapes their whole lives. It was a freak accident."

Valeo Confectionary, the parent company of Barratt who make the Dip Dab lolly, declined to comment.