A group of housemates in Western Australia got more than they bargained for when they opened a bag of discount lettuce from Woolworths, finding a live frog the size of a man's palm inside. The bag, reduced to $1.15 for quick sale, contained the amphibian alongside the leafy greens, prompting the residents to name it Greg.
Laura Jones and Billie Le Pine, the housemates who fronted national television interviews about the discovery, joked about the incident. 'Look, if I was in a French supermarket, I probably would have got a two for one deal on that one,' Jones quipped on ABC news breakfast. The town of Esperance, where the lettuce was bought, was named after a French frigate, adding a coincidental twist.
Woolworths described the find as an 'isolated incident' and said it was investigating 'as a priority'. A company spokesperson stated: 'Our suppliers have rigorous processes to maintain product quality. For heads of lettuce this involves washing and a number of quality checks, which includes checking for foreign materials, before they are packaged and sent to our stores.' The customer was offered a replacement item.
Frog expert Dr Jodi Rowley identified the frog as a bell frog, likely a motorbike frog if it originated in Western Australia, or a threatened green and golden bell frog or southern bell frog if from the east coast. She noted that frogs often hitchhike in produce, and advised anyone finding a stowaway to contact an expert rather than releasing it, to prevent disease spread.
The housemates released Greg into a nearby dam, playing 'Crazy Frog' as a send-off tune. 'We thought we'd give him a wee send off tune,' Le Pine said. 'And we played him Crazy Frog for him. So he was pretty happy again.'
