This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/devon-butcher-imprisoned-freezer-black-pudding-meat-christopher-mccabe-totnes-a8153546.html
The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Previous version
1
Next version
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Devon butcher forced to bash his way out of walk-in freezer with black pudding after becoming trapped inside | Devon butcher forced to bash his way out of walk-in freezer with black pudding after becoming trapped inside |
(about 7 hours later) | |
After getting stuck inside his own walk-in freezer, a butcher in Devon used a stick of black pudding to bash his way out. | |
Christopher McCabe, 70, who runs a butcher’s shop in Totnes, told The Independent how the door had slammed shut in a gust of wind, trapping him inside the freezer with a fan blowing icy air in his face. | Christopher McCabe, 70, who runs a butcher’s shop in Totnes, told The Independent how the door had slammed shut in a gust of wind, trapping him inside the freezer with a fan blowing icy air in his face. |
“My heart sank for a moment,” he said. “Then I thought: I’ll have to kick myself out of it. I knew no one would hear me if I called for help.” | “My heart sank for a moment,” he said. “Then I thought: I’ll have to kick myself out of it. I knew no one would hear me if I called for help.” |
It was a typical morning in the shop 10 days before Christmas. Mr McCabe had gone to fetch some bones for a customer from the walk-in freezer, which is about 50 yards from the back of the store. | |
The meat is kept at -20C – far colder than a domestic fridge. “A piece of meat will freeze in an hour in there,” Mr McCabe explained. “It was a horrible December day – windy and cold – and the door slammed shut.” | |
It had happened before, he explained. But this time the safety button that opened the door was frozen solid. “There was four inches of ice around it,” Mr McCabe said. | |
After trying (and failing) to kick the button into action, he looked around frantically for a tool. | After trying (and failing) to kick the button into action, he looked around frantically for a tool. |
“I could have used a roll of beef,” he said. “But the black pudding had a nice flat end.” | “I could have used a roll of beef,” he said. “But the black pudding had a nice flat end.” |
He used the 1.5 foot, 1.5 kilogram blood sausage “like one of those police battering rams,” Mr McCabe explained, eventually freeing himself. | He used the 1.5 foot, 1.5 kilogram blood sausage “like one of those police battering rams,” Mr McCabe explained, eventually freeing himself. |
“That black pudding saved me,” he said. “Frozen burgers are nice but you don’t want a frozen butcher!” | “That black pudding saved me,” he said. “Frozen burgers are nice but you don’t want a frozen butcher!” |
After recovering from his chilly ordeal, Mr McCabe was soon back serving customers. But he has since called in a refrigerator engineer, who added a layer of silicon to the safety button, preventing it from freezing. | After recovering from his chilly ordeal, Mr McCabe was soon back serving customers. But he has since called in a refrigerator engineer, who added a layer of silicon to the safety button, preventing it from freezing. |
Mr McCabe checks it every morning – just to be sure. | Mr McCabe checks it every morning – just to be sure. |
Previous version
1
Next version