public function removeOption(SwatOption $option)
    {
        $removed_option = null;

        foreach ($this->options as $key => $control_option) {
            if ($control_option === $option) {
                $removed_option = $control_option;

                // remove from options list
                unset($this->options[$key]);

                // remove metadata
                $key = $this->getOptionMetadataKey($control_option);
                unset($this->option_metadata[$key]);
            }
        }

        return $removed_option;
    }