Parents of teenager Megan Lee who died from an allergic reaction to a takeaway call for change in food safety laws

  • Consumer

  • Video report by ITV News Correspondent Richard Pallot

The heartbroken parents of a teenager who died after having an allergic reaction to a takeaway have called for a change in food safety laws.

Megan Lee, a nut allergy sufferer, died from an asthma attack two years ago after she ate food from the Royal Spice takeaway in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire.

Describing the "life-shattering" experience of losing their teenage daughter, Adam and Gemma Lee told ITV News: "Megan's bedroom is still the same. Everything is where she left them because we can't come to terms with moving it."

The owner and manager of the takeaway were jailed this week after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence of the 15-year-old girl who suffered irreversible brain damage.

egan Lee died from an asthma attack after she ate food from a Lancashire takeaway. Credit: Family handout/PA

In an emotional interview with ITV News, Gemma said: "It wouldn't have mattered what they ordered regardless of what the ingredients listed, even if they were available to them they would have still come into contact with peanut protein due to their [the takeaway's] ways of working, cross contamination, nothing was stored correctly".

The teenager and her friend had ordered their food online via the Just Eat website and wrote "prawns, nuts" in the comments and notes section.

However the meal delivered which included an onion bhaji, a seekh kebab and a Peshwari naan, was later found to have the "widespread presence" of peanut protein.

Describing the current food regulations in place Adam told ITV News there are "massive improvements that could be made".

"These takeaways could change ownership, so they could be using a hygiene rating for another company and the authorities are none the wiser," Gemma explained.

"I think they need to tighten their regulations up around that."

The two-week trial of both the takeaway staff heard there was a "litany of failings" in the kitchen of the Royal Spice Takeaway, including poor hygiene and no records of ingredients kept.

arun Rashid (left) and Mohammed Kuddus (right) have been jailed. Credit: PA

Five days after Megan’s death on January 1, 2017 the restaurant was immediately closed down following an inspection by Trading Standards and environmental hygiene officers.

Adam said the takeaway's staff played "Russian Roulette" with their daughter's life.

The Lee family. Credit: Family handout.

"She was extremely sensible. We never imagined that something basic to our survival, such as food, could take such a precious life," he said.

"The trust in our fellow human is tainted."

Looking ahead to what life will look like now for the family Gemma added:"We'll always live with the what if's. We'll question everything about that day and everything about what happened".