Strangest diet

Michel Lotito (France) (b. 15 June 1950) of Grenoble, France, known as Monsieur Mangetout, has been eating metal and glass since 1959. Gastroenterologists have X-rayed his stomach and have described his ability to consume 900 g (2 lb) of metal per day as unique.

His diet since 1966 has included 18 bicycles, 15 supermarket trolleys, seven TV sets, six chandeliers, two beds, a pair of skis, a low-calorie Cessna light aircraft and a computer. He is said to have provided the only example in history of a coffin (handles and all) ending up inside a man.

He first became aware of his ability when a glass from which he was drinking, broke and he began chewing the fragments. By October 1997, he had eaten nearly 9 tons of metal.

Mr Lotito died of natural causes on June 25, 2007.

He said that bananas and hard-boiled eggs make him sick.