Boy, 5, dies from allergic reaction after eating biscuit while at school, inquest hears

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Ed Griffiths

By Ed Griffiths


Published: 01/07/2025

- 09:12

Updated: 01/07/2025

- 14:53

The youngster suffered food-induced anaphylaxis after eating a biscuit during the school day

A five-year-old boy died following an allergic reaction at his primary school in Lincolnshire, an inquest has heard.

Benedict Blythe, a pupil in his first year at Barnack Primary School in Stamford, died in hospital on December 1, 2021.


The youngster suffered food-induced anaphylaxis after eating a biscuit during the school day, Peterborough town hall was told.

Benedict had known allergies to milk, eggs and some nuts, and also suffered from asthma.

Benedict Blythe

Benedict had known allergies to milk, eggs and some nuts, and also suffered from asthma

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Elizabeth Gray, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, confirmed the cause of death at the ongoing inquest, which is expected to continue for two weeks.

Benedict had been kept home from school on November 30 due to illness, but returned the following day after eating dairy-free chocolate from his advent calendar.

During the school day, he ate a biscuit he had brought from home.

The court heard that Benedict was offered oat milk by a teacher but refused to drink it.

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Benedict Blythe

Benedict Blythe was a pupil in his first year at Barnack Primary School in Stamford

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He then vomited, and his parents were contacted to collect him.

After vomiting a second time, Benedict was taken outside for fresh air, where he collapsed.

A teaching assistant trained in first aid administered an adrenaline auto-injector, but the boy was "not responding", according to testimony.

Despite CPR attempts and emergency services being called, Benedict sadly died later that day at Peterborough City Hospital.

Helen Blythe, Benedict's mother, told the inquest that vomiting was "always" the first symptom of his allergic reactions, but "how it played out after that varied".

She confirmed Benedict "woke up as normal and in good health" on the morning of his death.

The inquest heard Benedict had become "increasingly anxious" about asking whether foods contained milk due to previous reactions.

Dr Emilia Wawrzkowicz, a consultant paediatrician, said she "wholeheartedly disagreed" with an initial post-mortem report suggesting asthma as the cause of death.

Peterborough Town Hall

Elizabeth Gray, the area coroner for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, confirmed the cause of death at the ongoing inquest

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She told the court: "I was shocked to have seen this."

Wawrzkowicz noted there was "never any suggestion of airway compromise".

The Benedict Blythe Foundation was established in his memory to help protect children with allergies in schools.