A DISTRAUGHT father whose two-year-old son died when he choked on a bedtime treat has spoken about his "gorgeous boy".

Sammy Bennett died after a small piece of apple became lodged in his throat and both his parents and paramedics were unable to remove it.

The toddler had been watching television on December 15 when he asked his father Carl, 34, for something to eat.

At his home in Bankfields, Headcorn, near Maidstone, insurance underwriter Mr Bennett said: "He wanted a banana to begin with and then asked for an 'happle' as he called it.

"It was bedtime but he said he was hungry and I could not say no to him, so I peeled it for him and cut it up into segments."

Sammy, was sat on the sofa with his four-months pregnant mother, Clare, 32, and sister Rebekah, five.

Mr Bennett said: "I came in from the hall and told him he had been a good boy because he had almost finished the apple. It was then he began choking.

"We tried everything but you could see he could not breathe and he went limp. We did everything we could."

The funeral was held last Thursday at Headcorn parish church followed by a burial.

Mr Bennett added: "Sammy was an ideal son, a gorgeous boy. Every day it gets harder and harder, not easier."

For the full story, see this week's Kent Messenger.