SUPERMARKET giants Morrisons have said they believe a large worm-like object found in a steak bought at their store in Evesham may turn out to be a vein.

On April 2, Evesham's Andy Elliott, who works as a nurse at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, returned a rib eye steak pack to the store along with an object he found embedded in the centre which was the size and shape of an earthworm.

Mr Elliott, 49, had bought the steak that same day and cooked it.

"I always eat steaks from the outside to the centre. On that day I got to the last bit and cut into it and as I pulled the meat apart I saw this thing embedded into both halves of the meat. When I pulled it out there was a hole left in either side where it had been," he said.

Mr Elliott, 49, said the object was the same shape as an earthworm and measured around four inches in length.

"It is so creepy to think how it got into the flesh of my steak. I am a big meat eater and it's put me right off steak. My friends think the picture is a joke. But to me it is no laughing matter. I even mentioned the find to a vet and they said they had never heard of this sort of thing.

Mr Elliott also said he usually has his steaks medium rare but on this occasion he was glad he had slightly overcooked it.

He returned the wrapper and unidentified find to the store the same day and asked store staff to forward it to head office and come back to him with a full explanation of what the object was and how it may have got into his steak.

"The manager at the Evesham store was very apologetic and gave me a refund. He also said he would pass it to head office for an explanation but I still haven't received an acknowledgement or reply or apology or indeed any compensation for my upset and distress. I even contacted the Evesham store by phone to tell them I had had no reply.

"I am still awaiting a response. Is this a measure of the importance that Morrisons stores put for the health and welfare of their customers?" he added.

A spokesman for Morrisons said they take all complaints seriously and apologised for the delay in getting back to Mr Elliott.

He said: “We’re sorry that we haven’t been in touch with Mr Elliot sooner – the investigation is ongoing. It’s likely that this is a vein running through the meat.”