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Lifestyle

18th Jan 2021

Woman left with chemical burns after confusing fireworks for sweets

A mum from Rugby, Warwickshire was left "in agony" after confusing fire crackers for sweets after popping several into her mouth

Reuben Pinder

She was doing her neighbours a favour, but ended up with a broken tooth and chemical burns

Have you ever accidentally put salt in your tea instead of sugar? It seems like the sort of thing that only happens on TV but I presume it’s very disappointing and uncomfortable once you come to the realisation that you’ve mistakenly added the opposite flavour to the one you were looking for.

Imagine doing that, but instead of it being the wrong flavour, the food explodes in your mouth and leaves you with a broken tooth and chemical burns. That is the unfortunate fate faced by Lisa Boothroyd, a mum from Rugby in Warwickshire.

Lisa was out shopping for her neighbours at the local Costcutter when the spotted a colourful packet of Fun Snaps on the shelf.

If you’re unfamiliar with Fun Snaps, they’re the little balls that would make a big bang when you threw them at the ground. You remember, from many Bonfire Nights ago? Yes? Good.

Lisa thought the box contains sweets – an understandable mistake, to be fair, what with the colourful packaging and them being on a supermarket shelf – but soon found out they were not, after popping a handful in her mouth only to be greeted by a series of mini explosions.

This ghastly surprise left her feeling like her mouth was “on fire”.

Lisa, from Rugby, Warwickshire, said: “I remember the moment I crunched down on a handful of the ‘sweets’ – and instantly felt explosions in my mouth.

“I felt a burning pain straight away.

“I’m still in agony and nearly lost a tooth after it cracked from the explosion.

“That moment I crunched down was terrifying, I had no idea what was happening.

“I felt explosions in my mouth followed by a burning pain.

“The ‘fun snaps’ were with all the other sweets, and the packaging was similar, so it was an easy mistake to make.

“I just keep thinking what could have happened if I’d given them to a child – they could’ve blown her mouth apart.”

It’s been a month since the accident, and Lisa says the burns have healed but she is still waiting on an appointment to fix her dental injuries.

Lisa also expressed dismay that such a product would be on the same shelf as sweets aimed at children.

“Worst of all, they were amongst all the children’s sweets – who knows what could have happened if a child had made the same mistake as me?” she said.