A viral video of raw chicken being blowtorching in a back lane has prompted a council investigation in northern England.
Perplexing footage which went viral on social media on Wednesday appeared to show chickens being cooked in shopping trolleys using a blowtorch.
The video was allegedly shot in a back alley behind a food premises on Parliament Road in Middlesbrough.
The clip shows a man using a large blowtorch connected to a gas cannister appearing to cook the poultry on a supermarket delivery trolley.
A second clip shows smaller pieces of meat reportedly being cooked using the same unusual method in a shopping trolley.
Middlesbrough Council has now said it is looking into the bizarre footage with food hygiene and health and safety teams understood to be investigating.
A spokesperson for the local authority said: “We are aware of the video circulating online and are looking into the matter.
“As a matter of course we expect all food processes to be carried out in a safe and hygienic manner.”
It’s understood singeing chicken skin is a method which can be used to remove any excess hair or feathers from the poultry before cooking it.
The clip prompted a huge reaction on social media with many tagging the council’s Twitter account to bring it to their attention.