WHEN it comes to getting the right ingredients for the perfect barbecue, Bournemouth’s Norfolk Royale Hotel really pushes the boat out. Last week the hotel on Richmond Hill received a special crustacean cargo from the Isle of Wight for the launch of the four-star hotel’s barbecue season.

More than 100 freshly-caught lobsters were met at Bournemouth Pier by hotel general manager Simon Scarborough and chef de cuisine Matt Seager, pictured left, after being rushed to the mainland on board Europe’s largest high-powered rigid inflatable boat.

The 600hp vessel, captained by Adam Vere Nicholl from Solent Rib Safaris, was escorted by a low-flying helicopter captained by Sean Brown, chief executive of Heli Air.

After being carefully transported from the pier to the Norfolk Royale, the lobsters were prepared by Mr Seager and sous chef Shaun Le-Clerecq before being served to more than 100 specially-invited business and civic leaders.

Mr Scarborough said: “With the Diamond Jubilee celebrations almost upon us, and Wimbledon and the Olympics to come, we thought we would add to the excitement with a summer spectacular of our very own.

“We pride ourselves in quality locally-sourced food, at affordable prices, and wanted to launch our summer-long barbecue season in style.”

Now highly prized seafood, lobsters did not become popular until the mid-19th century. Before then they were used primarily as fish-bait and frowned upon as a dish for the very poor.

With ten legs they use their tails to swim backwards at speeds reaching more than ten miles an hour, if alarmed. Lobsters drown in fresh water and can be killed by dropping them into boiling water.

The Norfolk’s barbecues, featuring £20 lobster and chips lunches, will be held from noon until 9pm, every day, until September 30.