What you get for discovering a car tyre valve is less clear.
But that is what the Shephard family found as they tucked into their Waitrose Christmas pudding.
They were eating the £3.75 dessert during their Christmas lunch when they discovered the item.
Mrs Shephard said her 88-year-old mother, Maureen, found it after she had actually put it in her mouth.
A tyre valve was found inside the pudding (Image: Sarah Shephard)
“Thankfully, my mum managed to extract the tyre valve from her mouthful, thus averting a trip to the James Paget Hospital,” said the 59-year-old, who works in PR.
“We are all horrified and totally deflated by the experience.
“My husband especially drove 25 minutes to Waitrose in Saxmundham for the Christmas shop, as we believed we would be buying quality food as a treat for our family.
Sarah Shephard, 59, and her mother, 88, who almost swallowed the tyre valve (Image: Sarah Shephard)
“Little did we know. The outcome of my mother swallowing the valve could have been seriously life-threatening.”
Ms Shephard, from Halesworth, said she had contacted Waitrose – whose slogan is ‘food to feel good about’ – but had yet to hear back from the company.
Her husband, her 92-year-old father, her stepson and his wife were also at the table when the surprise discovery was made.
“This is a serious health and safety issue,” she added. “Where on earth did the valve come from? What other horrors were in there that weren’t visible?
A close up of the tyre valve (Image: Sarah Shephard)
“We had to throw the whole thing away, and now, to be honest, we will never feel confident about buying a ‘factory-made’ Waitrose pudding or cake again.
“I am really hoping Waitrose will contact me as a matter of urgency and explain how this happened.”
Waitrose was contacted for comment.