Hilarious '80s news report tells story of Belfast man and his snap-happy pet alligator 'Fred'

The news report features Pat McNamara and Fred, his allegator friend, who takes up residence in the pub after Pat’s wife says “she doesn’t trust” him.

The reporter tells how “behind the outwardly normal facade of the Swiss Chalet pub there lurks a man-eater, well a future one at any rate.

“His name is Fred and he was brought to the north by Pat McNamara, a man with a taste for exotic pets.”

Pat recalls how he asked a man for a crocodile or an alligator “and a week later he rang me up and says, ‘I’ve an allegator for ya’.”

Pats wife then tells her side of the story: “Well, at first I didn’t mind…he was”, but she is interrupted as Fred snaps at Pat.

“But he just is getting so big now,” she adds, looking suspiciously at Fred. “And I don’t trust him.”

The reporter continues: “When Fred got his marching orders, Pat turned to pub owner Brian Hull who snapped the reptile up and placed him in a tank behind the bar.

“Are you afraid that at any stage he might want to eat more than the raw fish you’re feeding him,” the reporter asks Brian, who seems unfazed.

The reporter continues: “If you thought we were joking about a maneater, what about this for a mouthful.”

Just then Fred takes another snap at Pat, who yells in pain and shouts an expletive that is bleeped out.