Margaret Jennings says almost 5,000 children under the age of 10 ingested a poison in the home last year — usually either a medicine or household cleaning product.

Liquid laundry capsules can pose serious risks to children who may confuse them with toys or sweets, according to experts urging parents and childminders to be mindful of the dangers.

A TELEPHONE service has been launched by the National Poisons Information Centre to help people, particularly parents, deal with accidents involving poisons.