THE owner of a takeaway has been fined after breaching food hygiene rules.

Environmental Health Officers visited Balti Night in Parliament Road in Middlesbrough in April, 2018, to carry out a routine food hygiene inspection.

They found evidence of a widespread mouse infestation and other serious contraventions of food hygiene regulations, and used legal powers to require owner Tarik Uddin to close the takeaway with immediate effect.

Appearing before Teesside Magistrates' Court on Tuesday , Uddin, of Appleton Road, Middlesbrough pleaded guilty to four offences – failing to ensure adequate procedures in place to control pests, failing to keep the premises clean, failing to keep food equipment clean and disinfected and failing to put procedures in place to protect foods from risk of contamination.

The 49-year-old was fined £2,728 and ordered to pay £742 in costs plus a £170 victim surcharge.

Judith Hedgley, Middlesbrough Council’s head of public protection, said: "Action such as this should reassure consumers eating out in Middlesbrough that poor hygiene standards are being tackled."