A COPPULL chippy boss was worried he might be sticking his neck out and taking a bit of a leap in the dark by adding a couple of new items to the menu - OSTRICH burgers and KANGEROO kebabs.

But after getting the thumbs up from locals, more of the meat is on order at Mr Chips, which could well be the only chip shop in the country selling the unusual delicacies.

Manager Joe Ibrahim, who introduced them after getting the idea from a trade fair he attended, says he is willing to put up with cracks such as: "kangaroo kebab and chips - and jump to it!" from waiting wags in an attempt to offer something more than traditional fish and chips.

"It actually sells well," revealed Joe, who has been handing out samples for customers to taste at the Byron Road shop.

"The biggest problem is telling them what it is because when you think of kangaroo you think of Skippy."

But Joe points out that the meat is extremely healthy with 10 ostrich burgers being the equivalent of a quarterpounder beefburger.

He added: "We got 48 ostrich burgers and are down to 20, and 10 pounds of kangaroo meat and are down to the last two pounds.

"I think the oldest chap who had it was 68. He said he'd eaten all sorts in the army and would try it.

"There's no other chip shop to the best of our knowledge that sells it." The kangaroo is marinated with herbs and finished off on a charcoal grill while the ostrich goes straight on to the grill. The burgers sell for £1.99 and the kebabs for £2.99.

Even the four piranha fish kept in a tank in the shop have been fed on the meat. And there could be even more introductions to the menu soon, as the shop's Lancaster supplier also sells crocodile, alligator, springbok, snake, camel, zebra, wild boar, bison, emu, reindeer and locusts- which would all come served with mushy peas, or course.

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