Parents are being warned to make sure their children have not bought or been given fruit jelly sweets which may pose a serious choking risk.

Oxfordshire County Council's trading standards service has issued the warning after emergency regulations were introduced withdrawing the sweets from sale.

The action has been taken following reports that a number of children around the world, including the UK, have died after choking on the sweets.

The jelly sweets are contained in cups the size of an individual mini-pot of coffee cream. They are dome-shaped with a diameter of about 3cm.

Nigel Strick, head of the council's trading standards service, said: "The mini-cup contains a soft, slippery jelly, but with a hard fruit-flavoured gum at the centre.

"Children will tend to suck out and effectively inhale the sweet, which increases the risk of choking.

"To make matters worse, the jellies contain a particular ingredient, Konjac, which does not dissolve easily, making the sweet more likely to stay in the throat."

Trading standards officer Kath Veal added that some of the sweets had been discovered in Oxford and Eynsham and removed from sale.

John Farrow, executive member for community safety, urged parents and shopkeepers to take note. He said: "These sweets clearly pose a risk. If anyone spots these sort of sweets on sale, they should let trading standards know as soon as possible."

Known brands include ABC mini-fruit bites, New Choice mini-fruit gels, and Rolin mango jelly cups.