Rare one in 10 million 'cooked' orange lobster discovered in the sea off British coast

An extremely rare "one in 10million" orange lobster has been caught by a fisherman off the coast of the Western Isles.

Oran Boyd, 23, from Barra, discovered the European orange lobster while aboard the Isabella CY 464 on Friday, and hopes it may be put in an aquarium due to its rarity.

The crustacean - uncovered in waters near Barra - was handed in to fish processing firm Barratlantic which has put it in a tank where people can visit it.

Live lobsters are normally dark brown or grey which makes it easier for them to camouflage in the wild - they only turn orange after they are cooked.

The chances of a European lobster being orange is said to be one in 10million, according to the National Lobster Hatchery - and prompted jokes about too much Irn Bru.

Oran Boyd caught the lobster on Friday (Christina MacNeil/Barratlantic SWNS)

Oran said: "I hope it can go to an aquarium somewhere - it would be better than it being eaten.

"It's a European orange lobster, I knew it was rare when I saw it in the creel.

"It's the third one we have caught in the same area in the last four years

"It's quite strange they seem to be in that small area.

Oran hopes it might be put into an aquarium (Christina MacNeil/Barratlantic SWNS)

Live lobsters are normally dark brown or grey (Christina MacNeil/Barratlantic SWNS)

"We caught it in a creel on Friday but I thought if I gave it to Barratlantic it would be quite cool for people to be able to see it as they are so rare."

General manager at Barratlantic Christina MacNeil, 55, said the lobster, which weighs 650g and measures 18inches, has created excitement at the firm.

It has been put in a tank with other live lobsters, but Christina said it will not be sold.

Oran discovered the European orange lobster while aboard the Isabella CY 464 (Getty Images)

Christina said: "A young local fisherman brought the lobster into us on Friday after catching it in his creel.

"I think he knew how rare it was and wanted to hand it in for us to put in our tank with our other lobsters.

"We didn't realise just how rare orange lobsters were until we Googled it.

"We are not sure what will happen to it yet, but it won't be sold.

"It will stay in the tank with the others and people can come and see him since he is so rare.

"He weighs about 650g and is about 18inches long."

Shocked local on social media joked the lobster had been "Tango'd" or had drunk too much Irn Bru.