PARENTS are being urged to ditch nut products in packed lunches after a nine-year-old girl suffered a severe allergic reaction.

St John’s RC Primary School pupil Claudine Sealy suffered breathing difficulties when she came into contact with a girl who had eaten a peanut butter sandwich.

She was taken to hospital and given oxygen following the incident at the school in Thames Avenue, Burnley.

Now the school has issued a plea to parents to avoid sending their children to school with sandwiches containing peanut butter, or nut-based chocolate spread.

Claudine, of Colne Road, who is also allergic to bananas, said: “I was finding it hard to breathe because she had been eating a peanut butter sandwich and then she touched me and I inhaled it.

“I had to leave school early and go to hospital.

“I had to wait for a while and then they gave me oxygen and I had to take my inhaler a few times.”

The year five pupil, whose 12-year-old brother, Chad, left St John’s for Blessed Trinity RC High School last summer, said nobody else in her family has a nut allergy.

She said: “When I was five I had a bag of peanuts and my lips swelled up really big.

My mum gave me some medicine, but they wouldn’t go back down, so I had to go to hospital.

“I really liked nuts before I found out I was allergic.”

Claudine said she also has to move seats if someone has been eating a banana.

Headteacher Kieran Heakin said: “I have known children with nut allergies before, but never as severe as this.

“It seems to have been affecting her a lot this term.

“I can’t stand in the hall and take everyone’s peanut butter sandwiches off them, so we’ve appealed to the good nature of parents by asking if children could not bring in peanut butter, or nut-based chocolate spread.

“I have been enlivened by the response.

“Everyone seems to be working for Claudine and supporting her, particularly her friends.

“It’s nice to see everybody working for each other.”