A supermarket apologised to a customer today after used condoms were found in the packaging of four beer cans.

Asda said it had launched an investigation following the discovery in a packet of Cobra Zero beer bought from its store in Shoeburyness, Essex.

Asda spokeswoman Emma Broadbent said: "We apologise for this customer's experience.

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"We have rigorous controls and procedures in place and are looking into this with Cobra, the supplier, to ensure this doesn't happen again.

"We have offered the customer a £100 gesture of goodwill in apology."

The Asda spokeswoman said the compensation was paid for the delay in dealing with the complaint and added: "We are at a loss to understand how it got there."

Adrian McKeon, chief executive of Cobra Beer, said: "I've already spoken with the customer concerned to express my personal disappointment at this regrettable situation.

"My understanding is that there was an item contained in the outer cardboard packaging - which is not tamper-proof.

"I would stress that we have strict quality control procedures in place at our brewing and packaging plants to ensure the millions of products we distribute around the UK and beyond are always in perfect condition."