The Chancellor was snapped with his finger just visible below his belt while he sniffed a bottle of freshly-pressed cider in Somerset yesterday

There is still 100 days to go before the election – but George Osborne is unlikely to be caught in a more embarrassing pose all campaign.

The Chancellor was snapped with his finger just visible below his belt while he sniffed a bottle of freshly-pressed cider in Somerset yesterday.

The unfortunate image was taken during a day of photo-ops on a tour of the South West.

Mr Osborne started the day by setting sail on a fishing boat in Cornwall where he posed holding crabs.

He smiled gleefully as he held up two spider crabs, before tweeting a picture with the caption: ‘Started day in Newquay with Cornish fisherman Phil who's been crab fishing here for 40 years.’

The Chancellor, however, appeared not to have noticed the boat was perhaps unfortunately named ‘Reaper’.

He then joined the Prime Minister for a carpentry class in Somerset, before they both helped make cider.

Mr Osborne, who has developed a reputation for his regular photo opportunities wearing a hi-viz jacket, joined the Prime Minister making cider in front of the cameras dressed in a fleece jumper.

As he took the lead picking up a crate of apples to pour into a machine, Mr Cameron appeared not to want to be left out and hastily asked ‘do you want a hand?’ before taking some of the weight with his hands.

When someone appeared to question whether it was safe, Mr Cameron quickly replied: ‘Health and safety? We’ll be alright’, before saying to Mr Osborne: ‘Come on then’ and tipping the apples into the press.

After pouring a couple of crates of apples into the machine, the pair tried their hand at bottling the drink.

Mr Cameron lifted a bottle to his nose remarking ‘Oh that smells very good’, before adding ‘I’ll try some in a minute’.

During the whistle-stop tour of marginal South West constituencies, which is a key battleground with the Lib Dems, Mr Osborne said the region had never received the same ‘political attention’ lavished on regenerating the north of England.

Mr Osborne, who has developed a reputation for his regular photo opportunities wearing a hi-viz jacket, joined the Prime Minister making cider in front of the cameras dressed in a fleece jumper

He pledged that the Tories would create more than 150,000 jobs and boost the region’s economy by £6.4 billion, adding: ‘The future is bright in the West.’

‘Our long term plan for the South West is about recognising the value of both its natural beauty and the economic strengths nurtured by the people who live here,’ he said.

The Chancellor refused to say if he was considering reducing the tax on cider, as he has on beer.

Mr Osborne told reporters: ‘I won’t give a budget here in Somerset, but we did freeze cider last time,’ adding that Conservatives would ensure that the industry is not ‘clobbered’.

The Chancellor joined David Cameron emptying apples into a machine that presses them for cider making at Hecks Cider Farm, Street, Somerset

Earlier Mr Osborne helped with an engineering project in a mechanical workshop class during their visit to Somerset College, Taunton

Mr Osborne reiterated that the South West could be the equivalent of the thriving west coast of the US as he launched the ‘long-term’ economic plan.

Mr Osborne went on to draw comparisons between the South West and the US west coast: ‘The west coast has the landscape, the sea, the unique characteristics that makes it a great place to live and visit.

‘But it has also built a formidable, world-class reputation in science, technology and universities. And the military bases and defence industry have helped to create powerful clusters from Silicon Valley to southern California.’

Osborne: Not the first and unlikely to be the last politician to fall victim to a photo-op gone wrong

The Chancellor followed in a long line of ministers and political leaders who have seen their careers tarnished by an unfortunate photograph after posing with his finger pointing out from his crotch.

Ed Miliband, William Hague and Gordon Brown have all been caught in bizarre poses.

Mr Miliband's brother David saw his leadership ambitions badly damaged after being snapped waving a a banana in 2008.

This is the unfortunate moment a grinning Ed Miliband was caught posing with three students making a hand gesture more common with builders

David Cameron has also suffered his fair share of embarrassing pictures - including images of him without a shirt, wrapped in a Disney towel.

His credentials as a fit and athletic political leader also took a hit after pictures emerged of him drenched in sweat on a jog near Downing Street.

Labour leader Ed Miliband was widely mocked after being snapped awkwardly eating a bacon sandwich in Covent Garden last year

Conservative leader William Hague pictured with a pair of horns seeming to come from his head

David Cameron was pictured out for a run in out of the back of Downing Street in February last year

The then Prime Minister Gordon Brown unfortunately placed in front of a sign reading 'Britain'