TRADING standards bosses are warning people about sweets which have caused some youngsters to choke to death.

The sweets have names such as Mini Fruit Gels and Mini Fruit Bites. Imported from Asia, they contain thick jelly in a small plastic cup.

Some youngsters have inhaled the jelly into their windpipe, where it has become stuck. The jelly does not dissolve quickly and can be difficult to remove.

It is thought that the sweets have caused the deaths of 15 youngsters around the world.

Ian Harrison, senior trading standards officer at Hartlepool Borough Council, said: "If anyone has bought any of these sweets they should either dispose of them safely or return them to where they were purchased, and inform trading standards."