Black pudding saved my life!
Butcher uses one to batter way out of locked freezer
A BUTCHER was left fearing the worst when the door to his walk-in freezer slammed shut behind him.
Chris McCabe knew that the temperature in the room could kill him within 30 minutes. And the emergency release button was frozen solid.
Luckily, after a few frantic minutes, the father of four found something to save his life – a 3lb 6oz frozen black pudding.
He grabbed it and, in a temperature of around -20C (-4F), used it as a battering ram to hammer at the unmoving button.
Following some heavy blows the button eventually loosened and released the door lock.
Mr McCabe, from Totnes, Devon, said: ‘Black pudding saved my life, without a doubt. No one could hear me banging because the freezer is outside, round the back of the shop.
‘The black pudding was the best thing to hit the button with because it was the right shape.
‘I used it like the police use battering rams to break doors in. It was solid, pointed and I could get plenty of weight behind it.
‘I’m lucky really, we sell about two or three each week and that was the last one in there.’
The butcher said that strong winds had blown the door shut behind him after he went in, and to his horror the inner door release button had frozen solid.
He looked for something to save him but couldn’t find anything to attack the emergency release.
The lamb was too big and the beef didn’t afford enough grip, and Mr McCabe said he had all but given up hope he spotted his last black pudding.
Supplied by the Queen’s butcher, HM Sheridan of Ballater, Aberdeenshire, it was the perfect size, weight and most importantly diameter. Mr McCabe gave the green door-release button a couple of whacks before managing to free it on the third attempt.
He said: ‘They weigh 3lb 6oz and they are a big long stick that you can just about get your hand around. I managed to get in a position to bash the button a few times until the ice broke and the door opened.’
Last night Barry Florence, director of HM Sheridan, said: ‘The quality of the black pudding obviously helped save his life.
‘We only use the finest ingredients for our black pudding and that makes the black pudding harder than elsewhere.’