A Post Office manager was left "traumatised" after biting into a "live cockroach" in his Tesco meal deal sandwich.
Bolton man, Adil Vasaya, 41, had purchased the chicken tikka sandwich as well as a drink and bag of crisps at the Preston superstore on Saturday when he felt something moving in his mouth.
He believed it to be a spice like a piece of a cinnamon stick, however, he quickly realised it was a live insect.
"As I put (the sandwich) down I saw legs come out and it started moving," Vasaya said.
"It just freaked me out."
Vasaya said he "couldn't even eat" after the first four days after it happened.
"I couldn't even face putting anything in my mouth," he added.
"It literally traumatised me that much, for the first four days I just didn’t feel like eating at all."
The chicken tikka sandwich is available in a meal deal
TESCO
After returning the sandwich to the store, he was given a £1.76 refund - the cost of the food minus the meal deal discount.
Tesco confirmed that it was investigating the source of the cockroach.
It insisted no issues had been reported with its supply chain.
A spokesperson for the supermarket said: "We're sorry to hear about this.
Tesco is investigating the complaint
GETTY"We work closely with our suppliers to ensure there are robust quality procedures in place," the spokesperson said.
"Sandwiches are thoroughly checked throughout the production process."
The spokesperson added that "in a situation like this, we always ask that the customer returns the product to store for a full refund and so our team can fully investigate the potential cause".
It comes after another man was left shocked after discovering insects inside a packet of Tesco Finest pasta purchased from the supermarket earlier this year.
Newport man, Mark Cranton, made the unsettling discovery in his pasta from Tesco's premium range.
He described the incident as a "disgusting episode".
The insects found in the pasta appear to be either weevils, psocids or mites, though the exact species has not been confirmed.
Experts note that these types of bugs are commonly found in kitchen environments, particularly in dark cupboards and storage spaces.
The man was refunded £1.40.
Similarly to Vasaya's incident, aTesco spokesperson apologised, saying "we're sorry to hear about this."
They added the supermarket worked closely with its suppliers to "ensure there are robust quality procedures".
The spokesperson advised customers to check storage instructions carefully to ensure products are properly preserved at home.