New Year Honours 2021: OBEs for allergy campaigners after daughter's Pret baguette death

Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse said Natasha's Law "will help save many other lives"

The parents of a 15-year-old girl who died from a severe allergic reaction after eating a baguette have accepted an OBE in her name.

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse collapsed on a flight to Nice in 2016 having eaten a baguette from Pret a Manger.

Her parents Tanya and Nadim Ednan-Laperouse said they were "humbled" to accept the OBE.

They are among 170 Londoners to receive a CBE, MBE or OBE in the New Year Honours.

Mr and Mrs Ednan-Laperouse, who set up the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation in the name of their daughter, have each been honoured for their services to charity and for people with allergic disease.

Natasha Ednan-Laperouse died in a hospital in Nice after collapsing on a BA flight

The pair felt the award was a tribute to their child, who they said still inspired them every day.

They said: "Natasha was a passionate believer in social justice and the bright torch that she carried for others inspires us every day.

"We are humbled and honoured to accept these awards in the name of our beloved daughter Natasha."

• Can lessons be learned from Pret baguette death?

• New food label law to stop allergy deaths

The foundation aims to establish a research centre at the University of Southampton to find a cure for allergies.

Mr and Mrs Ednan-Laperouse hope it will support scientists to prevent "more unnecessary deaths" and hospitalisations through severe allergic reactions, and "ultimately we hope to help eradicate allergic disease from this planet".

They have also managed to win new protections for food allergy sufferers under the introduction of Natasha's Law, which will require all businesses to include full ingredients labelling on pre-packaged food.

The legislation applies to England and Northern Ireland and comes into force in October 2021.

Luftwaffe bomb

Other Londoners honoured by the Queen include Det Insp Lee Barnard of the Metropolitan Police who has received an MBE for services to policing and to victims of domestic abuse.

Founder and chair of The Childhood Trust, Grant Gordon was awarded an OBE for services to philanthropy - particularly during the Covid-19 response.

For services to the community in Battersea during the coronavirus pandemic, Syeda Islam received an MBE.

There is also an MBE for Lt Cmdr Sean Heaton - the Royal Navy expert who oversaw the safe disposal of a 500lb Luftwaffe bomb found at the King George V Docks in east London in February 2018.