THE boys from Black Cat Radio gave a whole new meaning to the words ‘hot stuff’ after daring to eat the world’s hottest chilli.

Black Cat Radio presenter, Mark Hansard, was joined by Roy Kelly and Gary Lee on the Chilli Challenge at Edible Ornamentals Chilli Farm in Chawston.

The challenge? To eat the sweat-inducing Trinidad Moruga Scorpion - the hottest chilli on the planet.

“We went to Edible Ornamentals expecting a tour around the chilli farm,” Mr Hansard told The Hunts Post.

“But it soon became clear they had hatched this evil plan to get us to eat the world’s hottest chilli.”

The 47-year-old explained how co-owner Shawn Plumb laid-out a spread of chilli-peppers for them to taste, starting with the hottest!

“Instantly this intense heat overcame my mouth and became hotter with each moment that passed,” he said.

“My tongue and lips we both numb and the fiery sensation overpowered my mouth.

“My eyes were watering, my nose was running and my whole body came out in a sweat.”

The golf-ball sized pepper was officially crowned the world’s hottest chilli in February after scientists in America identified its heat value as 1.2 million on the Scoville Scale, which measures the amount of capsaicin (correct) present in the fruit in Scoville Heat Units (SHU).

Capsaicin is the heat-inducing element present in chilli seeds and the white membrane which holds them in place.

When cooking with chillies it is always a good idea to wash your hands before touching your face.

Unfortunately Mr Hansard forgot this sage advice.

“No sooner had I eaten the chilli when I automatically rubbed my eye without thinking about it,” he said.

“My whole face was overcome with heat and my eye felt like it was going to pop out of my head.

“The pain was overwhelming.”

Luckily, Mr Plumb was on hand with some capsaicin-neutralising milk which Mr Hansard poured into his eye.

“The pain stopped almost immediately,” he added.

Joanna Plumb, who has spent the past 20 years cultivating chillies, said people’s first response is to pour water into the eye to relieve the stinging, but because capsaicin is an oil the water merely splits the substance and it spreads.

“Milk or any dairy product absorbs the capsaicin,” she explained.

The Plumbs started their business by selling chilli plants at car boot sales and now boast Fortnum and Mason and Waitrose among their most valued customers.

The company has won a raft of awards and Mrs Plumb has appeared alongside Gordon Ramsey on TV as his “chilli guru”.

Mr Hansard added: “Meeting the Plumbs and their chillies was a great experience and we all really enjoyed ourselves.

“But I think we’ll stick to jalapenos in future!”