Dead lizard found in Kiwi woman’s beer

A Canterbury woman fears for her health after claiming she found a decomposing Australian lizard in her beer over the weekend.

She said she has felt unwell and lost two kilograms in body weight since making the grisly discovery on Saturday afternoon.

Donna Metcalfe had just sat down to watch TV and enjoy a drink with her husband at the time.

‘‘We thought we’d kick back, see what was on Sky and have a beer,’’ the Christchurch resident said.

‘‘I was drinking it and not paying it any attention, and something touched my mouth.

‘‘It looked like a little baby lizard, and I instantly felt really sick and thought ‘oh, you’ve got to be joking me’.’’

Metcalfe said she feared the worst after realising the Pure Blonde beverage had been bottled across the ditch.

‘‘Australia does have a lot of poisonous animals, so I rang the National Poison Centre immediately,’’ she said.

The centre advised Metcalfe she could experience food poisoning, and to get back in touch if she experienced any severe symptoms.

Pure Blonde beers are bottled in Australia by Carlton & United Breweries (CUB). Corporate affairs advisor Sabine Wolff said the company took Metcalfe’s complaint very seriously.

‘‘We have reached out to the consumer to understand the facts and check to see if she has any health issues,’’ Wolff said.

‘‘CUB is undertaking a thorough internal investigation of the issue to determine the facts.’’

Metcalfe said: ‘‘The offending bottle and lizard is sitting on the bench right now, and I’m waiting for the poisoning to kick in.’’

She said it had been a nasty surprise and she planned to visit her doctor on yesterday afternoon.

‘‘You go to have an innocent beer, and then something like this happens.

‘‘I’m really disgusted that their quality control didn’t pick it up, and that I drank a beer with a decomposing lizard in it,’’ she said.

‘‘And I’m really worried about my health.’’