Black pudding saved a butcher’s bacon
A BUTCHER who was just minutes from death after getting stuck in his walk-in freezer managed to batter his way out using a frozen black pudding.
Chris McCabe, 70, said: “That black pudding saved my life, without a doubt.
“I used it like the police use battering rams to break door locks.
“It was solid, pointed and I could get plenty of weight behind it.
“No one could hear me banging because the freezer is outside, around the back of the shop.
“I’m lucky really – we sell about two or three each week and that was the last one in there.”
The father of four, of Totnes, Devon, became trapped when wind blew the freezer door shut.
Used to store meat at -20C, the freezer could kill a man wearing no protective clothing in just 30 minutes.
At first, however, Mr McCabe was not too concerned.
He said: “I rushed in – in a hurry as usual – and the door shut behind me.
“I thought that was OK because I could kick the emergency door release button from inside. I’ve been shut in before and used the button to get out, but this time it was frozen solid.”
He looked around but could not find anything to de-ice the button.
He said he had all but given up hope when he spotted the black pudding.
“It was the best thing to hit the button because it was the right shape,” he said.
The 3lb black pudding was supplied by the Queen’s butcher, HM Sheridan, of Ballater, Aberdeenshire. Director Barry Florence said yesterday: “I’m delighted Chris is all right and that we managed to play a small part in getting him out.
“The quality of the pudding obviously helped save his life. We only use the finest ingredients and that makes our black puddings harder than anyone else’s.”