Two-year-old boy Jacob Jenkins dies after choking on grape at Pizza Hut

On Wednesday night, hundreds of yellow balloons were released on Seaton Carew seafront in his honour.

Devastated mum Abigail Wilson paid tribute to her son, saying: “Jacob grew his angel wings at 7pm as people let off their balloons”.

“There was nothing else that could be done for Jacob and as hard as it was we chose that time because we knew he would be in thousands of people’s minds at that exact moment”.

“There was nothing we could do”.

“Jacob died in mine and his dad’s arms with his family by his side”.

“We are now just getting settled into the RVI Newcastle and hoping for the next critical 48 hours to go as best as they can”.

Little Jacob Jenkins was eating dinner with his parents at a County Durham Pizza Hut branch, when a grape became lodged in his throat.

He was airlifted to hospital.

Jacob’s parents released their own balloons in memory of the little boy in a poignant tribute.

Lee Chapman, from the party supplies shop in Murray’s Street, say profits from balloons sold for the release in Jacob’s name will be donated to the family.

The grape had to be removed with surgical scissors and the boy was put into an induced coma on Friday evening, before passing away last night.

A friend of the family, Ben Picken, who set-up a fundraising page for the toddler, said: “His parents now need time to grieve properly and come to terms with losing their baby boy”.

Two first aiders from the entertainment complex in Hartlepool also gave medical assistance before paramedics arrived and took Jacob to hospital in an air ambulance.

“Hartlepool’s little soldier”, Leonie Robinson said on Facebook.

Pizza Hut remained closed over the weekend following the incident but reopened on Monday.