A SUPERMARKET is investigating the claims of a student who says he found a maggot in his chicken and gravy pie.

Ben Crouch says he was horrified to find the creature in a £1.66 pie, which his mum had bought from the Asda store, in London Road, Swanley.

The 20-year-old claims he only found the maggot after eating some of the meal.

Mr Crouch, of College Road, Hextable, said: “I was picking through the pie because some of the meat was darker than other bits.

“I said to my mum ‘what’s that?’ She said it was probably a bit of chicken fat but then I realised it was a maggot.”

He added: “We both stopped eating our dinner and I spat out what I had in my mouth.

“We both felt ill all night and I felt really sick.”

News Shopper: Ben Crouch Mr Crouch, who studies hospitality management at university and works in a restaurant in London, took the maggot to the store the following day.

He said: “They told me they wanted to keep the maggot so I put it on the desk and everyone gasped as they looked at it.”

Staff offered him a £20 goodwill voucher and refunded the cost of the chicken pie.

Mr Crouch said: “They seemed to think I should be grateful for the voucher but it didn’t reassure me.

“This was a whole maggot. We don’t know if it was alive before we cooked it.”

He added: “It was in the ASDA chosen by you range, which adds insult to injury.

“There was no explanation given as to how it got there.”

Mr Crouch’s mum, Jacqueline Crowley, told News Shopper: “I had eaten about half of my dinner when Ben found it. I was very shocked and horrified and I didn’t feel well afterwards.”

The 51-year-old added: I wont be eating any more chicken pies from there again.”

An Asda spokeswoman confirmed they have received the product and are investigating the claims.