THE former boss of a Stourbridge takeaway has been fined thousands of pounds after hygiene inspectors found rat droppings in a potato store room at the premises.

Dudley Council’s environmental health officers discovered the rodent droppings in the outside potato storage room, on and around pallets in which potatoes were stored and behind a chest freezer, when they carried out an inspection at Sizzlers takeaway in Hagley Road, Oldswinford, in September 2015 after a complaint by a resident.

A potato which had been gnawed by a rat was also found, as well as droppings beside a rat bait box.

Inspectors said there was a pest entry point in the ceiling of the room and damaged walls.

Anzar Farakh, aged 42, of Dorchester Road, Pedmore, the owner of the business at the time of the problem, was found guilty of four offences under the food safety and hygiene regulations at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on January 12.

The offences included failing to keep food premises clean and in good condition, failing to protect food from a risk of contamination and failing to put in place adequate procedures to control pests.

Farakh was fined £1,250 and ordered to pay Dudley Council costs of £1,500 and a victim surcharge of £120.

Councillor Rachel Harris, Dudley's cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “Environmental health officers work very closely with businesses to ensure they know the law and offer help and advice where we can.

"However, where conditions present a risk to public health, as in this case, immediate action to remove the risk will be taken and owners will be held to account for the unsatisfactory conditions."

The main part of the food premises was not affected and the potato store room was taken out of use and conditions remedied within a week.

Farakh has since left the business and the council says the premises are now registered to a new owner.

Cllr Harris urged people going out to eat to check Dudley's food hygiene ratings online and she added: "These will give consumers a glimpse of what is going on in the kitchen when they eat out and at the places they shop.”

Ratings in Dudley can be viewed online at www.dudley.gov.uk/foodsafety or at www.food.gov.uk/ratings