A restaurant has apologised after a father-of-two with an allergy was served sweets containing nuts.

Matthew Winch, from Watford, could have been sent into anaphylactic shock after he and his family were served sweets containing nuts at Derwish Turkish Meze and BBQ on Saturday (August 3).

Duygu Cecik, 26, who owns the family-run restaurant, put the incident down to “miscommunication” and apologised for the incident.

She explained the waiter serving Mr Winch and his family had finished his shift, and another waiter had placed Turkish delight sweets on the table without knowing of his nut allergy.

The sweets came as complimentary food with the bill and were placed on the table, despite Mr Winch earlier informing a waiter of his allergy.

Luckily, his wife Jenna Winch, 28, warned her husband of the nuts before he was able to have one.

Mrs Winch said the family were left “shaken up” by the incident and her husband was “lucky” he did not eat the sweets.

She said: “Everything had been fine until the end of the meal.

“We are really not happy about this incident, it was a really close call.

“This was negligence and I could have lost my husband due to this.”

Ms Cecik, owner of Turkish Meze and BBQ, said: “We have so many customers who have allergies and we are always very careful.

“All of our staff are trained.

“This is the first time something like this has happened and we are sorry for what has happened.”

A Hertfordshire County Council spokesman said that Hertfordshire Trading Standards have completed their investigation "and has concluded that no further action is required".

The family now wants to raise awareness of nut allergies, saying people should not be “embarrassed” by having one.

They have urged people to donate to The Amy May Trust, which works to increase public awareness of nut allergies.

Shortly before this story was first published (6pm on Wednesday August 7), we were told by Hertfordshire County Council that enquiries were being made by Hertfordshire Trading Standards.

On the morning of August 8, Hertfordshire Trading Standards confirmed no further action will take place.