FEARS over dangerous food allergies in children are causing unnecessary panic, says a leading doctor.

Professor Allan Colver claims the risks are being 'overstated'.

And he says emergency adrenaline injection kits for conditions such as nut allergies are more likely to fuel anxiety than save lives.

Professor Colver, from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, says the alarm over allergies has led to medical advice that may be disproportionate to the risks.

In particular, food allergies are often thought to be more dangerous than conditions such as pneumonia, asthma, or diabetes.

In reality, the risk of death is very small, with just eight children under 16 dying from a food allergy ...