A pensioner was shocked when she opened a pot of jelly bought from Sainsbury’s in Sittingbourne and found it covered in green mould.

Jean Clarke, had stocked up on four tubs of Hartley’s Jelly after struggling to eat solid food when she came out of hospital.

But when the 74-year-old took the lid off the snack, which was well within its sell-by-date, she was greeted with the gruesome sight.

She found it particularly worrying as she had just been treated for e-coli in Medway Maritime.

The retired office worker, who lives on Doves Croft, Tunstall, has been offered a refund and an apology by Sainsbury’s, but wants the manufacturer to investigate how it happened.

She said: “I was nearly sick because of the smell.

“It was quite surprising to see thick green scum just floating on top, like a circle of leather.

“You put your trust in these companies to give you the good products that’s fit for human consumption.

“I’m not looking for a refund, I’d just like a lab to analyse it as I can imagine it’s fairly dangerous.”

Mrs Clarke said her helper Wendy Chambers bought the food from the supermarket giant’s store in the Avenue of Remembrance on Friday.

“It seems more than the packaging hasn’t been sealed properly - it frightens me to think about how many others could be affected,” she said.

“I can’t bring myself to open the other pots of jelly.”

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire-based Hain Daniels, which produces the product, said: “At Hartley’s Jelly if for any reason a consumer needs assistance our consumer care team is on hand to do so.

“We would be pleased to speak to the consumer to answer any questions and concerns.”