A WYCOMBE family got more than they bargained for when they picked up a bag of salad to go with their dinner – a ‘huge’ live locust.

Richard Loughton reached for the Marks & Spencer salad he purchased from Marylebone station to go alongside the pasta bake he had made for his family when he noticed the insect crawling around inside the bag.

Wife Kate told the Daily Mail: “I think because we opened the bag and gave it some oxygen it perked up and started munching on the lettuce. It was a shock.

“It really ruined our Friday night dinner. It was disgusting. I have no idea how it got in there without anybody noticing, it was huge, about two inches.

“You just don’t expect to open your salad and for there to be a locust inside.”

The family rang M&S to ask what they should do with the two-inch critter and were told to return it to the shop. They were also given £10 compensation.

M&S said the salad originated from ‘trusted suppliers’ in Italy and Spain.

The retailer apologised and said: “Quality is extremely important to us and we are working closely with our supplier to investigate the incident further.”