Banana drama!

Recovering well: James Dean will return to work on Saturday.

A young worker got the fright of his life when he was stung by a scorpion as he unpacked bananas at a supermarket.

James Dean, 18, from Royton, was unpacking Colombian bananas at Morrisons in Kingsway, Rochdale, when the venomous creature struck on Sunday (18 October).

Shocked colleagues caught the scorpion, which was around two and a half inches long, in a box and took it and James to Rochdale Infirmary to help doctors identify it and deliver an antidote.

James, who has worked in the supermarket at weekends for the past six months, spent Sunday night in hospital after poison was discovered in the wound.

Doctors carried out a number of tests to make sure the venom hadn’t spread through his body.

He said: “I didn’t really feel much when it happened, it was like a pin prick on my left wrist and then I saw the scorpion and was really shocked. My wrist went red and started to swell.

“Someone put the scorpion in a plastic box and took me straight to hospital. My parents were really shocked and so were the doctors and nurses. They did lots of blood tests and kept me in overnight to make sure everything was okay. Everyone at work has been really good and have phoned me every day to see how I am. My wrist feels fine now and the swelling has gone down. I will be fine to do my Saturday shift this week.”

A spokesman for Morrisons said: “Staff dealt with the matter swiftly and in line with procedure.

“The scorpion is now being looked after by the RSPCA and an investigation is taking place.”

All known scorpion species possess venom which they use to kill or paralyse their prey.

The vast majority of scorpion species are only capable of producing a local reaction similar in scope and effect to a bee sting.

The most venomous species are found in rural, agricultural areas of Africa, South America and Mexico.

Scorpions rarely aggressively attack humans but will reflexively strike when threatened.

Five colonies of scorpions have established themselves in southern England after arriving in imported fruit from Africa.