A MAN was left shocked and disgusted when he found what he reckons is a dead rat in a packet of sunflower seeds - after eating half the bag.

Bahram Ibrahim was enjoying his favourite snack when he pulled out what he thinks was dried-up rodent lurking amongst the seeds.

The horrified 34-year-old complained to the supermarket where he bought them, but was told to take up his complaint with manufacturers Aytac, a Turkish food supplier which supplies online and to shops across the UK.

He said: "I started eating them, taking a handful each time slowly, when I felt something big inside the packet."

The Northern Echo: The rat found in the sunflower seeds

The following day he took them back to Kashmir Supermarket in Blackburn, in Lancashire, where he lives.

But because he had lost his receipt, the 34-year-old was told to contact the product makers, who have sites in Manchester and London.

A spokesman for the Kashmir Supermarket told our sister title the Lancashire Telegraph: “He did not have a receipt when he came in, but it is between him and Aytac not us, as it is their product which we cannot see before someone buys it.

“We told him to speak to them but since we do not know what really happened, we cannot comment on that.”

After going back to the shop, Mr Ibrahim said staff were understanding but told him to contact to Aytac, as the sunflower seeds were not open when they arrived at the store.

Mr Ibrahim said: “They saw on the security footage that I had bought the sunflower seeds from there, but that this was to do with the company Aytac.

“I spoke to Aytac and they gave me an email to send them photos of the rat in the packet.

“If they do not believe me they can come and look at it themselves, I still have it.”

He was so worried after almost eating the rat, Mr Ibrahim visited Blackburn Royal Hospital and told doctors he thought he might get ill.

He said: “I went to the hospital and told them I had eaten out of the packet the rat was in.

“They said I was okay, but I was scared because a rat is a dirty animal which carries illnesses.”

Mr Ibrahim is waiting hear back from the manufacturers. Aytac was unavailable for comment, reports the Lancashire Telegraph.