Kitchen staff caught using cricket bat to stir curry

Staff at a Chinese restaurant in mid Wales used a cricket bat to stir curry, a court heard.

Chun-Hung Cheung, owner of the Mandarin House, Market Street, Knighton, admitted a series of food hygiene offences when he appeared before magistrates in Brecon. He was fined £2,500.

The court was told that when environmental health officers visited the restaurant they found evidence of a serious rat infestation.

It was during the investigation that staff admitted the cricket bat was used to stir the curry. Bite marks on the bat also showed that it had been gnawed at by the rats.

In mitigation it was said that the restaurant was closed up until the hygiene and infestation problems were dealt with.

After the case, local authority councillor Graham Brown, who has responsibility for public protection, said:

"The presence of rats in a food premises presents a significant risk to health. When officers find these conditions in food premises, immediate action has to be taken to protect the health of the public."

Tougher penalties imposed for health and safety breaches >>
Bradford hotel in "parlous state" fined £17,000 >>
Chinese takeaway forced to close after staff arrested >>
Belfast caterer pays chef £22,500 in discrimination settlement >>

By Andrew Smith

E-mail your comments to Chris Druce here.