THE HORSEMEAT scandal may have put some people off their beef burgers, but chef Shannon Wells certainly made sure that a group of customers had a truly meaty feast to get their teeth into when he created a birthday cake with a difference.

Tipping the scales at more than 16 pounds, and with enough meat to fill around 35 normal burgers, the Overton chef created what could be two of Britain’s biggest-ever beef burgers last week.

Shannon, landlord and chef at the Red Lion, in High Street, made the mammoth burgers for a customer’s 40th birthday instead of a birthday cake.

With each burger containing nearly 10 pounds of beef, the meaty mountains defeated the 25 guests who tucked into the oversized meals at the pub last Friday.

Shannon, who runs the pub with his wife Caroline, said: “They weren’t able to completely finish them and I wasn’t surprised. There was more than enough to go round.”

He said the birthday boy and his guests were left speechless when they were presented with the burgers, which staff at the pub put candles on, in lieu of a birthday cake.

Shannon said: “Their faces were a picture when the burgers came out with candles on and were put on their table – they were gobsmacked.”

Shannon spent an afternoon creating the massive meals. He said: “Because of the size of the burgers, I had to improvise when making them.”

He roasted the meat in a baking tray before grilling it on a flat top grill, and made the bread for the buns fresh.

The burgers were also smothered in several different cheeses and smoky bacon.

Half an iceberg lettuce, four onions and tomatoes also garnished the burgers, which were served with portions of chips and sauce on the side.

Shannon said: “They went down really well and it would be something we would do again if asked.”

He said the pub often creates unusual dishes and puts on unusual events at the request of customers.