THE mothers of two south Essex boys who believe they died as a result of dangerous social media trends have joined forces in a huge campaign calling for change.

Hollie Dance and Lisa Kenevan are collaborating on a new hard-hitting video to warn parents about the dangerous of online challenges.

Hollie’s son Archie Battersbee died aged 12 at her home in Southend in April 2022 after a “prank or experiment” which went wrong.

Lisa’s son Isaac, 13, died after it was believed he took part in a choke challenge on social media.

They met with Southend West MP Anna Firth and South Basildon and East Thurrock MP, Stephen Metcalfe, to discuss the threat posed to children by online challenge videos.

Hollie said: “What I want to achieve is the creation of a very hard-hitting video that we can take into schools for the parents, putting together videos of Archie and Isaac enjoying life, contrasting with what eventually happened, with Archie in a coma.

“I do think this is about awareness. It would be very hard hitting, and you can’t not put yourself in our position. You always think it will not happen to you, but it happened to me.

“The charity Internet Matters has touched on the fact that only ten per cent of schools are approaching internet safety correct and the other 90 per cent are not, mobiles phones and the internet are a big part of this era.”

Hollie fears the speed at which crazes now take off means more children are at risk.

She said: “Back in my day, it wasn’t about that. Crazes would be spread by word of mouth and these crazes spread worldwide so quickly now.

“We need to come together if children are to be protected. It is not a case of there being one person to blame.”

Lisa, from Basildon, said: “The primary reason for our campaign is to make parents sit up and listen. This can happen to you and our boys had their accidents at home.

“I was cooking dinner and Hollie was steps from her bedroom [when it happened to us].

“The online safety law is now in action, but this is a long road map and Ofcom are to police these platforms. That is a challenging task and takes a lot of resources.”