The producer of the bumper egg is a mystery

But the egg, which is three times bigger than a normal egg, was laid by one of her 10 hens.

Shell-shocked Mrs Smith, 73, who has been keeping chickens for 50 years at her home at Butley, near Woodbridge, Suffolk, has never seen an egg eight inches around the middle - and weighing in at a bumper seven ounces.

She is not sure which one of her flock produced the whopper but is surprised the hen has apparently come through unscathed.

"I couldn't believe it," said the retired school cook.

I don't know anyone whose seen anything like it before Hen owner Freda Smith

"The eggs we normally get are about two ounces.

"We've had the odd one with a double yolk before but nothing like this. I have no idea which one of them laid it."

She added: "It's not a record. The Guinness Book of Records says the biggest chicken egg they know of weighed 12oz.

"But I don't know anyone who's seen anything like it before."

Now she faces a dilemma - does she keep it or crack it?

If she does opt for dippies two things are for sure - she will need a bigger egg cup and a mountain of toast.