The daily delivery of bananas to a greengrocer's shop in Torpoint is being greeted with added interest after the discovery of an exotic frog.

The tiny creature, identified as a chorus frog, was found by shop assistant Jan Phillips in a box of bananas at Widdicombe Fare in Fore Street.

Since the South American frog appeared, two more have been discovered in South East Cornwall. One was found at the Somerfield supermarket in Torpoint and the other in Saltash.

Greengrocer Joe Widdicombe said: "We are now keeping a special look-out when we open the banana boxes for any other exotic finds. The frog was the first I had seen in 19 years in the trade."

The three frogs, which each survived a three-week voyage across the Atlantic from Surinam, are being looked after by wildlife expert Kevin Witts of Cremyll.

"The third frog was found after a lady bought fruit at a supermarket in Saltash. When she first saw it on the floor in her house she thought it was a native frog brought in by the cat. But she soon realised it wasn't. I went and collected it, and now I am keeping all three in a small vivarium which is kept at a temperature of 76F," said Kevin, who is catching house flies to feed to the frogs, a task which he says requires great dexterity.

"They are called chorus frogs because of the noise they make, which is said to sound like a thumb being run along the teeth of a comb.

"These three haven't make a noise yet but I'm hoping they will. It would be interesting to hear it.

"We don't know what sex they are and we're not sure about their variety - there are hundreds of sorts. We may find out through reading up various publications.

"Their markings can show quite a dramatic change. In the morning, they are dark brown to blend in with the tree bark they are on. But a night they are a pale lime-green colour.

"The largest of the three is one inch from nose to tail."

Kevin, from the South East Cornwall Wildlife Rescue Group, would be keen to hear from a collector willing to house the frogs.

He said: "There are people around who are interested in tropical frogs like others are interested in tropical fish. If I can find someone who collects them, I would be willing to pass them on."