Shocked mum finds beetle in her food shopping delivery

Kelly Keeling, 35, found an insect believed to be a devil's coachhorse beetle in her Asda shopping. Kelly Keeling, 35, found an insect believed to be a devil's coachhorse beetle in her Asda shopping.

A MOTHER was given a shock when a scorpian-like beetle was found in her food shopping.


Kelly Keeling, 32, of Southview Road, Vange, was unpacking her Asda groceries when the insect crawled out of a carrier bag.


At first she thought it was a scorpion, but is believed to be a devil’s coachhorse beetle- which can give a painful nip due to their pincer-like jaws.


Mrs Keeling said: “When I saw that there was something in the bag I assumed it must have been a spider. They really don’t bother me at all so I just tipped the bag over but then out crawled this thing which I was convinced looked like a baby scorpion. It’s tail was moving up and down and it didn’t look like anything I had seen in this country before. I was so frightened.


“My little boy is autistic and was helping me with the shopping but luckily he was unpacking a different bag. When he saw the insect he just starting screaming.”

It is not known how the insect got into Miss Keeling’s shopping, which was delivered from the Asda store in Miles Gray Road, Basildon, at 9.20am Tuesday.

The supermarket has since replaced all chilled items from the delivery and are currently investigating the incident.

Comments(20)

beyond the valley of the asbos says...
9:11pm Thu 4 Oct 12

i think the phrase is "man up"

bignosechaff says...
9:11pm Thu 4 Oct 12

They are quite common this time of the year. They do act aggressively but are harmless

boom says...
9:46pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Wonder where Mr Keeling was ?

JH_123 says...
9:52pm Thu 4 Oct 12

boom wrote:
Wonder where Mr Keeling was ?
Who cares? It's irrelevant to the story...

DogsMessInLeigh says...
10:09pm Thu 4 Oct 12

i once found some Navel Oranges in my shopping bags once.

j-w says...
10:32pm Thu 4 Oct 12

did you just gaze at them or did you run to the Echo!


I had a massive spider run across my lounge, curiously I also had some shopping delivered by Asda earlier this week, do I get some free biscuits?

emcee says...
10:37pm Thu 4 Oct 12

Good grief!
I really do not know why on earth I bother with this website? Stories are becoming more ridiculous by the day. The reason I stopped buying the physical paper was because all it contained was adverts and dire journalism and editing but I am now beginning to question whether free access to this site is even worth my time.

muffindamule says...
10:38pm Thu 4 Oct 12

JH_123 wrote:
boom wrote:
Wonder where Mr Keeling was ?
Who cares? It's irrelevant to the story...
Yes but he does make exceedingly good cakes.

beyond the valley of the asbos says...
11:23pm Thu 4 Oct 12

muffindamule wrote:
JH_123 wrote:
boom wrote:
Wonder where Mr Keeling was ?
Who cares? It's irrelevant to the story...
Yes but he does make exceedingly good cakes.
where's the thumbs up when you need it?

Brunning999 says...
5:46am Fri 5 Oct 12

Did I miss the news worthy story?

When caught did she enjoy the music?

Eric the Red says...
6:28am Fri 5 Oct 12

Ah - wake up and smell the compensation!

leighman says...
7:05am Fri 5 Oct 12

What on earth is a 'scorpian'?

SpaffSpiff84 says...
7:45am Fri 5 Oct 12

This is absolutely outrageous in a civilised society that a harmless beetle native to the uk should be found in a shopping bag in the uk, just what is happening in this world? Im in total shock, forget syria, forget economic meltdown, THIS is the real hard-hitting issue that should be being discussed a full & frank manner, forget sensitivites this demands an urgent enquiry immediately

Basildon.lad.21 says...
8:00am Fri 5 Oct 12

JH_123 wrote:
boom wrote:
Wonder where Mr Keeling was ?
Who cares? It's irrelevant to the story...
Probably in prison

fatboy1842 says...
2:01pm Fri 5 Oct 12

Very disappointed - I have just been shopping and have not been able to find any insects in my bags only the usual things - tea, biscuits, veg, meat etc. Just to make sure I'll check the boot of the car and under the sofa, don't want to miss out on my free insects.

Soouthchurch59 says...
4:26pm Fri 5 Oct 12

'mum finds beetle in her food shopping'

Yet, in a Supermarket car park in Germany. She'd be more likely to find, - food shopping in a Beetle!

Eric Whim says...
4:36pm Fri 5 Oct 12

it's a wonder she managed to stop screaming in panic and had the bravery to get down off the kitchen stool to phone the Echo.

Where's the regulation 'glum faced' Echo photo?

Get a flaing grip woman, it's a tiny insect.

Alec Cikes says...
8:58pm Fri 5 Oct 12

How funny... this little beasty will bring you luck, if you didn't kill it !

DogsMessInLeigh says...
11:52am Sat 6 Oct 12

any updates on this one yet..?

Nebs says...
11:38pm Sat 6 Oct 12

DogsMessInLeigh wrote:
any updates on this one yet..?
In Mondays paper we get to read the beetles side of the story.

click2find

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