A Yorkshire lorry driver ended up in hospital for six days after consuming a 3kg catering pack of Haribo cola bottles, leading to acute diverticulitis. Nathan Rimmington, 33, from Barnsley, ordered the bulk bag from Amazon for £18 after a sudden craving, and ate the entire 10,461-calorie supply over three evenings.
Days later, he experienced severe stomach cramps, sweating, and high blood pressure, prompting a GP visit. Doctors initially suspected food poisoning but found high gelatine levels in his system after he admitted to the binge. Gelatine in gummy sweets can cause bowel obstructions in large quantities.
Diagnosed with acute diverticulitis—inflammation and infection of the large intestine—Nathan was kept nil by mouth and treated with IV drips at Rotherham Hospital. He has since avoided cola bottles, describing a 'PTSD-like' reaction to the sweets.
Nathan said: 'It was my own stupid fault. My advice is to do it in moderation, don't go full blast and get kilos at a time.'
