A KEIGHLEY woman hospitalised after suffering a violent allergic reaction to a fish pie is calling on a supermarket giant to better label its products.

Michelle Patterson, who is allergic to cod, was rushed to Airedale Hospital by paramedics after unwittingly consuming it.

The 55-year-old says the label on the pie bought from Keighley's Morrisons store made no mention of cod.

But the company responds that cod is classed as "whitefish" – and the label did specify that the pie contained this type of fish.

Ms Patterson, a mother of six who has her own business buying and selling secondhand goods, said: "If they'd apologised and told me they'd review their labelling policy I'd have dropped it.

"But instead they interrogated me over the phone and made out that it was my fault.

"I've known I'm allergic to cod since I was 11. I'm 55 now, and I've managed to avoid this happening all these years until now, so I know what I'm doing."

She added that until earlier this month she had successfully steered clear of eating this type of fish, after it made her seriously unwell as a child during a visit to Whitby.

The ingredients label of the pie she bought from Morrisons listed "salmon, haddock, smoked fish and whitefish".

Ms Patterson said she had understood for many years that whitefish in this type of food was usually from fish such as pollock and hake, so saw no cause for concern.

But when she began eating the pie at home later that same evening she started feeling unwell after only four mouthfuls.

"I knew something was wrong almost immediately," she said.

"I had crippling stomach ache, difficulty breathing and I felt dizzy and sick – though I couldn't be sick because my throat was swelling up.

"I couldn't focus on anything and felt cold and clammy. I was on my hands and knees in the bathroom, I couldn't even stand up. I felt I was going to pass out.

"We called the ambulance and the paramedics said I had to go into hospital."

Ms Patterson was examined at Airedale Hospital that night and allowed to go home the following morning.

She took extra powerful antihistamines for the next three days, and was also given adrenaline medication in case the allergic reaction occurs again.

She said that when she contacted Morrisons a few days after the incident she was asked for proof that the pie had come from the supermarket then offered a £5 refund for the food, which she argued completely missed the point she was trying to make.

"It was never about the money side of things, which I made quite clear when I phoned Morrisons", she said. "They should be labelling exactly what is in each product, regardless of what it is, so this doesn't happen to anyone else.

"I've been shopping at Morrisons for donkey's years, as have all my children. Is this how they treat a loyal customer?"

A Morrisons spokesman said: "We are sorry to hear about Ms Patterson's allergic reaction. Cod is a whitefish, and the label clearly states that the fish pie includes whitefish."