Shock as fish head found in snack pot

A TEENAGER has told of her shock after opening a snack pot only to find a baby fish head staring back at her.

Emma Padgett, 19, recoiled in horror when she found the ‘sea monster’ while tucking into her favourite lunchtime prawn cocktail. A slimy baby fishhead, complete with bulging eyes, teeth and whiskers was on the end of her fork.

Miss Padgett said: ‘‘I just screamed. I thought it was alive at first and I could not believe it. It looked like a snake's head rather than anything fishy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

‘‘I buy them all the time and had eaten one for my tea the night before. It has put me off prawns for life, which is a shame as I love them.’’

Marine biologists believe the creature was the remains of a fish which may have been a dragonette or a clingfish.

Dr Michael Berenbrink from the University of Liverpool’s Institute of Integrative Biology, said: ‘‘This appears to be a juvenile species, perhaps part of the scorpion fish family. Further examination would be needed in order to identify it accurately, which could be difficult as it is very young.”

Emma, a junior hair stylist from Wakefield, West Yorks., bought the tub from a local Co-op store.

A Co-op Group spokesman confirmed they had received a complaint and made arrangements for the snack to be returned so it can be sent to the supplier for analysis.

Related topics: