An M&S employee was in for a cheeky surprise while carrying out a quality check in the salad section of her store.
What should have been an everyday task quickly led to hilarity after she came across an X-rated tomato.
Security and safety advisor Maxine Baker, of Harrow, North West London, couldn't believe her eyes when she encountered the "rude" tomato, which she thought strongly resembled a woman's private parts.
Shocked and "cracking up" with laughter, Maxine decided the fruity item was just far too raunchy for the family-friendly aisles of M&S, so took it home with her and popped it straight in the freezer.
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Maxine, 52, recalled: “Oh my God, it’s hilarious, it’s tomato saucy. I was doing quality checks on the tomatoes and picked that one up, and I just absolutely cracked up.
“I just fell about laughing when I saw it. I showed a colleague of mine, she did the same. It’s brilliant, I love it.
"I have got a really good sense of humour and I like slapstick and that was really up my street, so I thought ‘I have got to let everybody see it’.
“I keep making up these silly things like ‘Now I know where cherry tomatoes come from’ and 'Now I know what our tomatoes get up to in the night when the store’s closed’".
The mother-of-two, who has worked at the M&S store near her home in Pinner for seven years, knew she couldn't let the item stay on the shelves.
Maxine explained: “I made the decision myself, it couldn’t be sold like that. I don’t think anyone would sell it but I showed a few colleagues and also my boss who thought it was hilarious too".
She continued: “Everyone I show it to is just cracking up and their hand goes to their mouth in embarrassment. I took it off the display and brought it home and put it in the freezer to preserve it because I have to keep it, I just love it".
Going forward, Maxine has promised never to eat the bawdy tomato herself, because she finds it to be “too sweet and cute”.
She added: “I have got a really good sense of humour and I like slapstick and that was really up my street, so I thought ‘I have got to let everybody see it’."
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