Marine experts at Newquay’s Blue Reef Aquarium are taking extra safety precautions following the arrival of a mutant lobster.

The bizarre-looking crustacean has two cutting claws; usually there would be one cutting claw and a crushing claw. The lobster was donated to the Cornish wildlife attraction by Mylor-based fisherman Ned Bailey, who caught it off the coast of St Mawes.

It is only the third lobster with two cutting claws that Mr Bailey has come across in more than 28 years of fishing.

The lobster has been nicknamed Edward Scissorhands, in reference to the character played by Johnny Depp in the film of the same name, who had scissors instead of hands.

Edward is also fast and extremely aggressive, with curator Matt Slater already falling victim to the lobster’s lightning reactions.

“I was doing a rockpool talk in front of lots of visitors and Edward made a sudden grab for me and caught me round the wrist,” said Mr Slater. “It was rather painful but I managed to carry on talking and disengage his claw at the same time.”

Lobsters are among the planet’s oldest inhabitants with fossil remains found dating back more than 100 million years. They are also extremely long-lived, with some more than 60 years old.