Islamabad, April 22 (IANS): A man in Pakistan's Punjab province has been surviving on leaves and wood for the last 25 years, a habit that he developed because of extreme poverty, a media report said on Saturday.

Mehmood Butt from Gujranwala district began living on leaves because he had no work and could not afford basic meal. Surprisingly, has never fell ill despite eating leaves all these years, The News International reported.

"My family was too poor. Everything was beyond limit and it was very difficult for me to get a meal, so I thought it is better to eat wood rather than begging on a street," Butt said.

Years later, as he took up work and could afford meals, he was strangely keen on maintaining his unique eating practice.

"Eating wood and leaves has become my habit now," the 50-year-old said.

Butt said Banyan, Tali and Suck Chain trees woods are his favourite.

Butt earns Rs 600 in Pakistani currency a day by transporting things from one place to another on his donkey cart, but his eyes are always on fresh leaves and branches, his neighbours said.

"He will stop his cart on the roadside anytime and will eat fresh tree branches," his neighbour Ghulam Mohammad said.

Butt is popular in his area for his eating habits as people see him munching leaves but never gets sick.

"He has never visited a doctor or any hospital. We are shocked how can a person not fall ill despite eating wood all these years," Mohammad added.