Man who dropped 99p pack of Imperial Mints into a sewage drain had BORROWED them from his brother who is so devastated he can't speak

• 99p pack of Imperial Mints were accidentally dropped into a drain
• They were eating the mints while walking down a street in Yeovil
• Owner John Smith is 'too distraught' to speak about loss of savoury pack
• The mints plunged into the 2 metre drain and disappeared quickly beneath the murky water

A man who lost a 99p pack of Imperial Mints after eating them while walking down a road in Yeovil, Somerset had borrowed the pack from his brother, it has been revealed.

Andrew Smith is understood to have been trying to retrieve some mints from the pack to eat, but accidentally dropped it into a sewer drain he happened to be walking past.

The mints disappeared down the 2 metre drain and sunk into the murky water below.

The mints belonged to John Smith, a gardener, who has spent decades eating imperial mints.

He is understood to have lent the pack to his brother, Andrew, to eat some mints himself.

Speaking today from the home he shares with his wife in Yeovil, Mr Smith, 48, described the loss of his cherished savoury pack of mints as 'dreadful'.

His wife added that he is 'very upset' about the incident, has stopped eating altogether and doesn't even go outside anymore, he also has recurring nightmares about the incident.

Members of the Yeovil Imperial Mints Fan Club Association, of which John Smith is a member, described the mints as 'incredibly tasty' and 'refreshing' and have all signed a condolences card to be sent to Mr Smith.

Dramatic footage of the loss of the mints, captured on a CCTV camera, shows John Smith kneeling on the floor by the drain, putting his hands in his head and screaming "Noooooo, take me instead!".

Somerset County Council, Wessex Water and several local drain unblocker companies were called and were on the scene "within minutes" it was reported.

A spokesman for Wessex Water said: 'We were called by a distraught member of the public after his Imperial Mints were lost in a sewage drain, we attempted to save the mints but sadly we were unable to do so.'

A Somerset County Council spokesman said: 'On arrival the drainage crew found two mints remaining, however they were beyond edible and had to be disposed of.'

Yeovil Imperial Mints Fan Club is a private members' club that requires sponsorship by another mints fan and approval from current members. Mr Smith is believed to have served as a grade 1 mint taster at the club since 2013.

Donations for the mint-less victim are understood to be being collected at Yeovil Baptist Church and a two minute silence was held before Yeovil FC's recent match against AFC Bournemouth, and the players were said to be so concerned about the victim, that they lost the game 3-0.