A clairvoyant got the shock of her life when she discovered a 'huge' live cockroach lurking in a pack of bananas she'd just bought at her local Aldi.

Mum Jodie Johnstone had just got home from shopping at her local store in Bishop Auckland, County Durham on Saturday (March 16) evening when she asked her daughter Sofia to put away the fruit and veg.

When the clairvoyant, 31, ripped open the bag for the five-year-old she felt the “massive” bug jump inside the package.

The Northern Echo: The cockroach Jodie discovered in the pack of bananas she bought at Aldi in Bishop Auckland.The cockroach Jodie discovered in the pack of bananas she bought at Aldi in Bishop Auckland. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

But as her joiner boyfriend Graham took the bag of elongated yellow fruit to take a closer look Jodie says the cockroach bit one of his fingers.

Aldi has apologised, saying it is sorry its "normal high standards were not met" and has given her a £30 voucher to spend in store.

Jodie, from Cockfield, Bishop Auckland said: “I went to Aldi in Bishop just doing my normal weekly shop. I came back home and said to my daughter to put the bananas in the fruit bowl for me, as she always does.

“I opened the package and felt something jump.

The Northern Echo: Jodie felt the bug jump after she ripped the package for her five-year-old daughter Sofia to put the bananas in the fruit bowl.Jodie felt the bug jump after she ripped the package for her five-year-old daughter Sofia to put the bananas in the fruit bowl. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“I thought, ‘What’s that!?’.

“I saw it and it was about the size of my thumb – it’s massive.

“I screamed at how big it was and threw it in the sink. My daughter was running around the house screaming.

“I jumped and it was my boyfriend who got it afterwards. He picked it up and he made a noise and it had bitten him.

The Northern Echo: Jodie snapped a picture of the cockroach in the bag.Jodie snapped a picture of the cockroach in the bag. (Image: JODIE JOHNSTONE)

“We were just stood looking at it. I have never even seen a cockroach in the UK before.

“We wrapped up the bananas with the cockroach in two bin bags. It’s just sat near the back door. I didn’t know if I would have to take it back to Aldi.

“I will never buy bananas from there again.”

The packaging reveals the bananas were imported from Nicaragua.

The Northern Echo: Jodie bought the bananas from Aldi in Bishop Auckland on Saturday (March 16) evening.Jodie bought the bananas from Aldi in Bishop Auckland on Saturday (March 16) evening. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Jodie contacted Aldi and the supermarket chain has since offered her an apology and £30 credit as a "gesture of goodwill".

A spokesperson said: “Our supplier has robust processes in place to ensure our products are packaged and delivered to stores to a very high standard.


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"Whilst very rare, incidents like this can occasionally occur with products that are grown in natural conditions.

"We have apologised to Ms Johnstone that, on this occasion, our normal high standards were not met.”