Turtle bites customer's face 'after he threatens to eat it live in Beijing food market'

A man in Beijing, reportedly a little worse the wear for drink, got more than he bargained for when he threatened to eat a live turtle, according to a newspaper report.

The man was strolling through a market in the Tongzhou district of the capital when he picked up the Chinese softshell turtle at a seafood stall, told staff he was going to tuck into it, and put it close to his mouth, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

The turtle then bit the man’s lips and he then struggled to free himself from the animal’s grip for the next 10 minutes, the report said.

Onlookers dared not intervene and some stood by taking pictures.

The stall owner called the management at the market, while passers-by alerted the police.

The turtle finally stopped biting and the man walked away with only swollen lips