Angler Martin Crossman spooned in a mouthful of tinned beef curry for his lunchtime snack - but it wasn't the spicy flavour which made his eyes water.

Martin, 31, of Alfredston Place, Wantage, yelped in agony as a sharp needle-like object jabbed into his gums as he sat fishing with a friend.

He discovered a small section of stainless steel tube, similar to the tip of a syringe, in a chunk of meat from the Tesco curry.

Now Martin is waiting for £500 compensation ordered to be paid to him by Wantage magistrates after Tesco's suppliers, H L Foods Ltd, were prosecuted by the Vale of White Horse District Council.

The Lincolnshire company pleaded guilty to a food safety breach and was fined £7,500.

Martin, a recruitment consultant, said he was disappointed that letters to Tesco about the incident last January had gone unanswered.

"It was very unpleasant and caused bleeding," he said. "It also caused my wisdom teeth to flare up and I had to have them out."

A spokesman for Tesco said the firm planned to "apologise for the distress he has suffered".

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