Toddler pictured drinking WHISKY instead of fruit juice at second birthday party after mistake by waiters at Frankie and Benny's

• Sonny Rees, two, drank half a glass of the 40% alcohol with mixer
• Staff at Frankie and Benny's in Swansea served him spirits by mistake
• His mother noticed something was wrong when he began pulling faces
• Sonny was rushed to A&E when he was monitored and later discharged

A toddler drank half a glass of whisky through a straw after a restaurant accidentally served him spirits instead of fruit juice at his second birthday party.
Sonny Rees drank the 40 per cent alcohol, which was served with water, when the error went unnoticed at Frankie and Benny’s restaurant in Swansea.
But when he started pulling strange faces and wriggling in his chair each time he took a sip, his mother smelled the unmistakable whiff of spirits in his glass.

Mix-up: A family photo of Sonny Rees, two, tucking into a whisky and water in the Swansea branch of Frankie & Benny's on Saturday. The image was taken when his parents thought he was drinking lime and water

Sonny was taken to an accident and emergency unit where he was kept under observation by doctors.
His anxious mother Nina Rees, 34, said: 'We went to the restaurant just after midday, and I had ordered him lime juice and water, his favourite.
'The drinks arrived and i was encouraging him to take sips because he was eating salty things.
'We had finished our first course when we noticed he was pulling a face as he was drinking. I took the glass from him and took a sip myself.

 

'It was whisky, I would say a double. As soon as I sipped it I had the slight burning feeling in my throat and warming in my chest.
'Sonny had taken about ten sips - he was obviously intoxicated. I immediately went into a panic and a rage - I was crying my eyes out.'
The family even took birthday photos of Sonny with his drink, not realising what it actually was.
Sonny was asleep by the time he arrived at Morriston Hospital in Swansea where staff monitored his vital signs. He was later given the all-clear and allowed home.
The two-year-old has now completely recovered while the restaurant carries out an investigation into Saturday's drinks mix-up.

Birthday treat: The Frankie and Benny's restaurant in Swansea where staff served Sonny the alcoholic drink

Full recovery: Sonny, pictured with his mother Nina Rees, was taken to an accident and emergency unit where he was kept under observation

Mrs Rees, her husband Howell and six other family members took Sonny to their local Frankie and Benny’s for his birthday.
The family ordered a fruit cordial for Sonny - but a stag-do was going on in the bar and staff mixed up Sonny’s drink with a whisky and water ordered by one of the male revellers.
Mrs Rees, an IT teacher, complained to the manageress who refused to believe her until she took a sip herself.
Mrs Rees said: 'The reaction of staff at first was awful. They said it couldn’t have happened and just went and got him some water and walked off. They more or less dismissed me.
'I called NHS Direct who told me to take him straight to A&E.'
The restaurant gave the family a 50 per cent discount off their bill and a manager phoned Mr and Mrs Rees at home in Pontarddulais, Swansea, the next day to apologise.
A Frankie and Benny’s spokesman said: 'The company is incredibly sorry for what happened. It was a human error and we are putting measures in place to ensure it never happens again.'