A WOMAN claims she could have been hospitalised if she had swallowed a caterpillar she found in her chicken burger.
Julie Baldwin, who is receiving treatment for cervical cancer, visited the McDonald's restaurant in Jameson Street, city centre, with her daughter Paige, 13, when she made the grim discovery.
Ms Baldwin, of Albert Avenue, west Hull, is angry with the response from McDonald's and doesn't feel the company has taken the matter seriously enough.
She said: "We both ordered a Chicken Legend Meal.
"I always go through my burger to pick out the bits I don't like and that's when I saw the big black caterpillar.
"I took it back to the counter and the female staff member was a little hysterical.
"My daughter was mortified and neither of us will be going back."
Ms Baldwin, 40, claims her hospital consultant told her swallowing the caterpillar could have had serious consequences as her immune system wouldn't have been able to cope with it.
She said: "I have started chemotherapy and I am also undergoing radiotherapy.
"My immune system is down and I could have suffered serious effects from eating the caterpillar. My consultant said I would probably have had to have been admitted to hospital.
"My body wouldn't have been able to fight the bacteria."
Ms Baldwin is now paranoid about what she eats.
She said: "I am very careful now and will only eat food that I've prepared myself.
"I go through all my food with a fine toothcomb because I can't afford to eat the wrong thing."
Ms Baldwin says she received a refund when she took the burger back initially. But she wrote to customer service to take the complaint further.
Ms Baldwin then received two £5 vouchers, but was told there were no grounds for compensation.
She said: "Obviously, compensation would be nice, but it is the way they have treated me that angers me.
"I don't feel they have taken it seriously. It could have been very bad for me.
"When they sent me the vouchers I promptly returned them.
"If I had swallowed the caterpillar they would have had a court case on their hands.
"All I want is a proper apology and for them to ensure they do everything to try to prevent this happening again."
McDonald's has confirmed it is dealing with Ms Baldwin's complaint.
A spokesman said: "We are sorry for Ms Baldwin's experience when visiting our restaurant. Food safety and product quality are our highest priority and both our restaurants and our suppliers follow rigorous standards in order to avoid imperfections."
