Lizard found in Aldi cucumber

15-Jul-2014 - Last updated on 16-Jul-2014 at 07:44 GMT

FoodManufacture.co.uk believes the lizard was a Common lizard

A customer was shocked to find a dead lizard in the 39p vacuum packed cucumber she bought from Aldi’s Cowes store on the Isle of Wight.

Jenny Wilkinson, a 54-year-old grandmother, bought the cucumber to sooth her one-year-old grandson’s teething pains, but was reportedly disgusted when she discovered a small dead brown lizard between the cucumber and its wrapping.

Wilkinson speculated that the lizard must have got into a batch of cucumbers when they were being packed in their country of origin, Holland.

Compensated

The grandmother wrote to Aldi to complain about her surprise find and was compensated with £20-worth of gift vouchers and an apology.

An Aldi spokesman said: “We have stringent product specifications and exacting quality control measures in place to ensure the quality of our fresh products.

“We have investigated this with our supplier and can confirm it is an isolated matter,” he added.

FoodManufacture.co.uk believes the small brown reptile was a Common lizard (Zootoca vivipara), which is one of only four lizards native to Holland and gives birth to live young.

Lizards of Holland