Guy Albon convinced the photographer that he was a member of the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster so that he could wear the colander- a symbol of the satirical religious movement whose members refer to themselves as Pastafarians.

The 30-year-old said he exploited a law that allows headgear to be worn in photos.

'The law stipulates you can have something on your head,' he said.

'You have to have your entire face uncovered and if the headgear is being worn it has to have some religious significance.

'I thought 'I've got this one in the bag' – it was an absolute scream.'