Cameron Wahid, from East Grinstead in Sussex, died after a waiter at a restaurant in Scala, a town on the Amalfi coast, reportedly failed to understand warnings that he was allergic to dairy products, British media reported.

The tragedy happened last Tuesday, when the family visited the town with a tour group and stopped for lunch at a local restaurant.

He ate half a bowl of homemade pasta al pomodoro and collapsed after the family had left the town for nearby Ravello. Police are still investigating what caused the incident.

Carabinieri Captain Roberto Martina said: “The mother allegedly told the restaurant that the boy had some allergies but it is not clear whether she was detailed in her explanation or whether the restaurant understood.”

Along with the rest of the tour group, the family left the town after lunch for a trip to Ravello. But soon after getting off the coach, the boy had difficulty breathing and went into anaphylactic shock.

He then suffered a heart attack in the town's central square.

The boy was revived by a doctor at the scene but his condition worsened and he was taken to a nearby hospital.

But his condtion continued to decline and he was transferred to the larger Santo Bono children's hospital in Naples, where he died on Friday.