Some like it hot – but Boris Johnson left sweating from world's HOTTEST chilli
LONDON Mayor Boris Johnson was feeling the heat – as he spluttered through a fiery encounter with one of the world's HOTTEST chillies.
The floppy-haired Tory was left rasping and begging for water as he munched a hot chocolate habanero during a visit to a chilli farm, in Wiltshire.
The dark brown chilli (a mouth-igniting mix between a habanero and scotch bonnet) measures over 600,000 scoville units – a tongue-scolding 120 times HOTTER than a Jalapeño.
Boris – who recently announced plans to stand as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip – braved a big bite of the chilli before desperately gasping for water.
After recovering, the London Mayor said: "It was like being savaged by a bunny rabbit.
"It was this innocent looking thing, who would've thought it could pack such a punch."
It was like being savaged by a bunny rabbit. It was this innocent looking thing, who would've thought it could pack such a punch
Boris was visiting Wiltshire Chilli Farm in Whitley, near Melksham, during a tour of the West Country to witness Britain's resurgent economy in action.
He was invited by local Conservative candidate Michelle Donelan – who is also the farm's reigning chilli-chomping champion.
During the visit the bumbling Mayor jokingly inquired if the farm was currently developing any 'weapons-grade chilli' for use in crowd-control.
He added: "I've come all the way to Melksham but been defeated by Michelle and this proves she can stand the heat.
"It also shows what a diverse and robust economy we've got - who would've thought that in the Wiltshire countryside there'd be a growing business growing chillies. It's very impressive and very imaginative.
"I talked earlier about whether there was scope for using them as crowd control - I've been discussing whether water cannons should be allowed in London.
"What I can say is that this one certainly immobilised me for about five minutes."
Wiltshire Chilli Farm owner Jamie Sythes, 36, said: "A lot of people before the visit joked 'feed him a really hot chilli' and I didn't actually expect to feed him a really hot chilli!"
Boris Johnson felt the heat earlier this week when the Airports Commission rejected the London Mayor's proposal for an island airport in the Thames estuary.