Mayor of London left feeling the heat on his trip to Melksham

Boris Johnson is given a tour of the chilli farm

THE Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was left feeling the heat following a visit to a Whitley chilli farm last week.

Boris Johnson was visiting The Wiltshire Chilli Farm, which is one of the biggest chilli farms in the UK, when he was challenged to take a bite out of a chocolate habanero which registers at 600,000 on the Scoville scale.

He was invited to the chilli farm by Conservative prospective Parliamentary candidate Michelle Donelan as an example of a thriving business which represents the recent upturn in the local economy.

On his tour he was offered the fiery treat by Wiltshire Chilli Farm founder Jamie Sythes. Despite an initial reluctance to try the chilli, the Mayor of London was persuaded to do so after he learnt of Michelle Donelan winning a chilli eating contest at last year’s Melksham Food Festival.

However, Boris Johnson was soon regretting his decision to take on the chocolate habanero as he was left gasping and pleading for a drink to cool his mouth. Minutes later he regained his composure – thanks to a Lucozade drink – and explained the importance of his visit to learn more about the economic recovery.

Boris Johnson said, “I have come to Melksham only to be defeated by Michelle and it proved she can stand the heat! My visit also shows what a diverse and robust economy we have. Who would have thought in rural Wiltshire there would be a chilli farm, and one doing so well? It’s great to see and very impressive.

“I have always enjoyed coming to this part of Wiltshire and I have been left with a lasting impression in my mouth which feels like I have been savaged by a bunny rabbit, but importantly also a lot about an ambitious company.

Michelle Donelan said, “It’s great that we have such a successful producer of chillies in our area and is an example of the great things being done by local people. I had a feeling Boris may be offered a bite of a chilli and I know how hot they can be after the Melksham event last year, it was great to see him give it a go.”