A schoolgirl almost choked on her favourite McDonald’s drink after a sharp splinter of wood became lodged in her throat.

Annabelle Tickle, 13, had taken a gulp of a frozen strawberry lemonade when she was left gagging with the taste of blood in her mouth.

The teenager says she was forced to put her fingers down her throat to pull out the inch-long wooden shard as her panicked dad Neill pulled over in the car.

The pair were on their way home to Sanderling Road in Beltinge after buying the drink at the fast food chain’s Sturry Road drive-thru.

It is thought the wooden splinter may have broken off a stick used to stir the drinks.

Annabelle, who attends Archbishop’s School in Canterbury, said: “It was horrible. I didn’t know what it was. It hurt and I could taste blood at the back of my throat.

“It was quite frightening and I had to put my fingers down my throat and pull it out, even though it made me gag.

“It turned out to be a shard of wood, about an inch long, which is probably why it got stuck sideways.

“The frozen strawberry lemonade was my favourite drink but obviously I couldn’t finish it and it’s put me off now.”

Dad and daughter drove to Chestfield McDonald’s – then the nearest store – and reported the find to management.

Mr Tickle, a development director for a housing association, said: “They were apologetic and said we would need to contact head office, which we have.

“We’ve got a letter back and been asked to send the shard off to them so they can investigate.

“We think it could be a splinter of wood from the stirrer they use for the drinks.

“This isn’t about claiming compensation but drawing attention to perhaps a procedure they use which needs to be changed so that it doesn’t happen to anyone else in the future.”

McDonald’s spokesman Nial Connacher said: “We apologise for Mr Tickle’s experience when visiting our restaurant last week.

“Food hygiene and safety is of the highest importance to us and we will launch a full investigation into this incident as soon as the object is sent to us.

“Our customer services team are in touch with Mr Tickle and will endeavour to keep him updated as we progress the investigation.”