THE parents of teenager Chloe Gilbert, who died after suffering a severe allergic reaction, have spoken about the dangers of allergies after the shop which served her the fatal takeaway was fined.

Chloe, 15, from Martinslade, Seend, who had a serious allergy to dairy products, was shopping in Bath with a friend on March 5 last year. She ate a kebab from the Al Falafel Takeaway Ltd on Monmouth Street, not knowing that it had traces of yoghurt in the meat, and suffered an almost instant allergic reaction.

Almost six months earlier, the takeaway’s owner Riad Benotman had been told by council food safety officers his shop should have signs up warning customers about possible food allergens - but none were on display the day Chloe went in. She suffered severe anaphylactic shock, collapsed, and died soon afterwards.

After appearing before Bath Magistrates Court on June 20, Benotman, 37, of Crescent Gardens, Bath, admitted failing to identify the food he served was hazardous to customers with allergies, as well as failing to ensure documentation in respect of allergies was kept up to date. He was fined £800 and ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £80.

Sentencing Benotman, District Judge Taylor said: “You are not before the court for causing the death of Chloe Gilbert. Nothing I can do or say will lessen the grief for Chloe’s family.

“What happened was a tragic situation which I’m sure will live with them forever.

“As you are the person who served Chloe on that day I’m satisfied that what happened will live with you forever.”

You were running a takeaway business and in doing so you had an obligation to comply with the law.”

Chloe’s parents, Barry Gilbert and Lisa Hunter, said: “We will never get over the sudden death of Chloe, though she will always be in our hearts, there will always be something very special missing from our family.

“All we can do now is advise other allergy sufferers and their carers and hope that lessons are learned from this tragic situation.

“We feel the need to build trust at a takeaway, we went to the same chip shop in Weymouth for almost two years. The owner really knows his stuff and has a very clear and understandable folder with all the ingredients and allergy information.

“From then on Chloe would go to Weymouth for a battered sausage, or two, which she loved. Memories of her big smiles are priceless.

“Allergy signs are there to make people comfortable about food and ingredients. If you are not 100 per cent convinced that the takeaway has understood what you’re asking, throw the food away or give it to a friend.

“Chloe had not had a reaction in 10 years. She and ourselves were always so cautious and careful. One mistake has cost Chloe dearly. Never take a chance, always use your epi-pen as soon as you think you are having a reaction and call 999.

“Look up Allergy UK and Anaphylaxis Campaign, we were only aware of these after Chloe died. There is lots of information for allergy sufferers and their carers.”

A spokesman for Bath and North East Somerset Council said: “During that inspection (in September 2016), officers noted there were no allergen signs on display and advised Benotman that he needed to erect a sign that could clearly be seen by customers when ordering food.

“When interviewed in the course of the investigation (into Chloe’s death) Benotman accepted that he had not erected any sign as requested, saying he would provide allergen information verbally if asked.”

Last June an inquest heard dozens of bystanders rushed to Chloe’s aid before the emergency services arrived and one even administered her EpiPen, which she carried in the case of a reaction.

After the hearing, Stuart Brown, trading standards team leader for B&NES, said: ”This a very tragic case for someone so young who had such a sevee allergy and I extend my sympathies to the family.”Bath & North East Somerset Council will extend every effort to prevent similar incidents happening in the future.“This sad case illustrates the importance for food businesses to provide accurate allergen information to their customers.”

and alongside this maintain suitable food safety procedures to ensure risks to public health are addressed.

“Our Trading Standards and Food Safety teams will continue to work together and hold businesses to account for their failures.”