A LIGHT socket found in a Holland's hotpot could have been an act of sabotage by a disgruntled employee.

The 3in socket, complete with wires, was discovered by a Doncaster man inside a Coronation Street-style Betty's hotpot produced at the company's Baxenden factory.

The complaint has been investigated by Doncaster environmental services department in liaison with Hyndburn environmental health department. Doncaster director of environmental services Richard Sprenger said: "The general consensus is that it would not be possible for that particular item to get into that product with the various preventative measures that are in place.

"It could not be an accident with regard to any form of failure on behalf of the factory.

"Where something just could not happen then you look for where else or how else it could have got into the item of food and usually you have a situation where you suspect it has been put in deliberately.

"I can't say that is what has happened in this case.

"But, speaking generally, it's not uncommon that we do get complaints which, when investigated, turn out to be sabotage by some disgruntled employee."

No-one at Holland's was available for comment.

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