Five-month-old Thomas Egan, who had an allergy to milk, was fed packet cereal at the Jigsaw nursery in Milton Keynes.

On Monday the nursery staff admitted not following strict dietary instructions from his mother.

But staff said the severity of the allergy had not been made clear to them.

Milk allergy

The nursery had been told Thomas had a milk allergy.

He died less than two hours after nursery nurse Crystal Norman fed him a breakfast cereal containing milk powder.

She admitted that she had not read the ingredients.

Staff admitted feeding Thomas breakfast contrary to his mother's instructions.

Narrowed airways

They also fed him packet cereal despite being told he could only have pureed fruit or vegetables or baby rice mixed with his mother's milk.

The inquest heard the nursery failed to call an ambulance when the baby began reacting to the milk protein.

The jury has also heard evidence that Thomas had been ill with broncholitis.

One medical expert said the baby might have survived had his airways not been narrowed by the infection.

The jury is due to retire on Monday afternoon to consider its verdict.