A chef was given a nasty nip when a lobster he was about to boil bit back.

Michael Harvey, 53, chef-owner of the Queens restaurant, in Apperley Bridge, reckons it could have been revenge after he had cooked more then 250 of the lobster's crustacean companions in recent weeks.

The lobsters had been sent to Apperley Bridge from Halifax County, in Nova Scotia, Canada, for a special three-week-long lobster festival.

Mr Harvey, who developed an infection from the bite, said: "I was just getting ready to put it in the boiling water when it grabbed me with its claw. It just wouldn't let go of my finger.

"The big ones have been known to take people's fingers off. It was very painful.

"I think it was getting some retribution for his mates. I don't blame him for having a go really.

"It was probably a hit-lobster from Nova Scotia sent to get their own back. It was Mobster the Lobster!"

Mr Harvey was caught in the crustacean's clutches while preparing lunches at the restaurant. The binding on its pincer had fallen off leaving Mr Harvey's left hand at the mercy of the lobster which saw its chance to make a bid for freedom.

He said: "At first my finger was just bleeding and then it went stiff. But the day after it swelled up to twice the size and went blue. I had to take my wedding ring off and go the doctors. I'm on a course of antibiotics now."

Restaurant manager Dean Majors said that Mr Harvey had eventually seen the funny side after his lobster attack.

"You have got to be a bit of a practical joker to be a chef - it's working with all that red meat and sharp knives all day.

"But I know that lobster was definitely the first one to be served up at dinner that day."

This is not the first time the chef has been on the wrong end of mishaps in the kitchen.

Several months ago he fell while carrying a 30 gallon vat of fresh gravy - covering himself from head to toe.

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