INCREASING numbers of people are being admitted to hospital in Bournemouth and Poole due to allergies.

NHS figures show huge rises in the four years to 2020 and now people with food allergies have been warned to be on their guard when eating out.

Anaphylactic shock - a severe allergic reaction - led to 35 admissions to the Royal Bournemouth and 30 to Poole in 2019/20. This compares with 25 and 21 four years earlier.

Other allergic reactions accounted for 100 admissions to Poole and 66 to Bournemouth compared with 45 and around 60 in 2015/16.

Charity Allergy UK says increasing hospital visits across England linked to anaphylaxis are worrying, and wants to see more education about the risks of severe allergic reactions.

Anaphylactic shock happens when someone has a severe and potentially life-threatening immune reaction to a trigger, which is often an allergy.

Nationally, around 5,500 admission episodes were recorded, which was slightly down from the previous year but up from 4,500 in 2015-16.

"As lockdown restrictions ease, if you or your friends or family have a food allergy, it’s important to never be complacent" said a spokeswoman for the Food Standards Agency, which is responsible for food safety and hygiene.

"Remember to be allergy aware and speak to restaurants about food allergies every time you order, because ingredients, recipes and staff can change."

There were 30,400 admission episodes recorded across England for allergies– a big increase from 20,700 in 2015-16.

Amena Warner, head of clinical services for Allergy UK, said the rising number of hospital admissions for allergies and anaphylactic shock are a "huge concern".

New regulations – due to come into force in October – will require businesses preparing pre-packed food for direct sale on their premises to include a full ingredients list on an item’s label.

Named "Natasha’s Law", this followed the case of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, who died in 2016 after suffering an allergic reaction to a Pret a Manger baguette.

But Ms Warner said people still need to understand the risks in the first place so they can make an informed choice, adding: "There needs to be much more education about allergies for the general public."