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DISGUSTING: bread stored on old newspaper in a filthy box

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Bosses of an Oldham takeway must pay more than £4,000 after admitting their shop had floors “thick with rivulets of grease and food debris”.

The Al Fayyaz takeaway in Union Street was visited by hygiene inspectors who found mouse droppings, grease-covered surfaces, filthy and damaged equipment, food debris and staff wearing unsuitable, dirty clothing.

Naan bread was stored in a cardboard box lined with dirty newspaper - and a filthy dishcloth was left on top of a pizza.

The company was fined £2,450, with £1,937 court costs and a £35 surcharge afterr admitting seven breaches of food-hygiene regulations.

Ruth Crimmins for Oldham Council, told Oldham magistrates inspectors found mouse droppings on the floor, shelving, plastic containers and some of the kitchen surfaces.

There was grease and food crumbs throughout, and the feet of equipment was “thick with rivulets of grease and food debris”. Other breaches included “extremely dirty” utensils, dirty walls and floors, a poor hand basin and ill-fitting, poorly-maintained fixtures and fittings.

Director Fayyaz Ahmed of Minor Street asked inspectors to visit in April 2012 after applying for a food hygiene certificate. He was told to put down mousetraps, but the certificate was granted.

Further inspections found other problems.

Mrs Crimmins reported: “Raw and cooked meat was stored together and staff demonstrated poor understanding of food hygiene.”

She said Ahmed voluntarily closed the takeaway for a short time for a deep clean, and an inspection in January found things had improved.

A solicitor representing the firm’s two directors said they were both deeply shamed by the offences, but blamed the mouse problems on sewers being dug up in Union Street.

Timothy Hopley said: “The deficiencies were significant but the work was done, a lot of it very quickly. They have replaced a huge amount of equipment rather than simply shutting it down.

“They were affected by pests because of the roads and sewers being dug up on Union Street.

“They have never had problems like this before. There will be a future visit by inspectors and the company is confident they will see a big change.”