A man who ate a live scorpion should undergo psychological tests, according to animal campaigners.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said Louis Cole, 28, had put the creature through agonising pain by chomping it down pincers and all.

The Surrey youth worker has eaten dead mice mixed up in a blender, live cockroaches, and crickets as part of an x-rated Youtube channel Food for Louis.

Asked about animal cruelty Louis, who lives in Roehampton, said: "What is the difference between eating the cockroaches, which no-one had a problem with, and the scorpion?"

But a spokesman for PETA said: "Cole should be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counselling.

"Apart from the agonising pain he will have caused to that scorpion as he was masticated alive between Cole's molars, we have seen that violence towards animals often leads to violence towards humans.

"A history of cruelty to animals shows up on the records of violent criminals Raoul Moat and Steven Barker; child-killers Mary Bell, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables and serial murderers Ian Huntley, Fred West and Ian Brady - and the list goes on and on.

"Anyone who is capable of disregard for another living being shows a very worrying psychology that should concern us all."