Family allowed to keep ‘Broc’ as family pet while retailer stresses broccoli is ‘thoroughly inspected’ at point of harvest
A family found a live gecko in a bag of Spanish broccoli they were preparing to cook over the Christmas period, the Daily Mirror has reported.
The Martin family, from Powys in Wales, said the vegetable had been kept in the shed for four days and four nights before being taken out for the Christmas meal.
Jolene Martin removed the plastic wrapping from the broccoli, before chopping it up and placing it in a pan, when she spotted the creature.
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: “Our broccoli is thoroughly inspected and checked while it’s being harvested, however this gecko clearly had other ideas and we’re glad it’s found a new home.”
After contacting the RSPCA, the family were told they could keep the gecko, now christened ‘Broc’, as a family pet as it was “too difficult to send it back to Spain”, the Mirror reported.