A PUB operator has been fined by magistrates after admitting that one of its bars sold suspect vodka contaminated with a harmful substance.

Teesside Magistrates' Court heard that Trading Standards officers carried out a routine inspection at The Garrick pub in Yarm Lane, Stockton, and found a white spirit, described as vodka, which contained tertiary butyl alcohol.

Exposure to high levels of the chemical, normally found in industrial spirits, can lead to irritation of mucous membranes, nausea, de-fatting of the skin and intoxication.

Nestway Limited, of Woking, Surrey, which operates six pubs in the area, pleaded guilty to four offences of selling the white spirit.

It was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £1,150 costs under the Food Safety Act 1990 on Tuesday.

Stockton Borough Council's legal services team brought the case on behalf of Trading Standards after an officer detected a discrepancy in the alcohol strength of vodka at The Garrick during a routine inspection.

Formal samples were taken and sent for analysis and investigations revealed a box of the suspect vodka had been supplied to one of the local pubs by an unknown dealer.

Although the company stated in mitigation that it only usually dealt with three local suppliers, the vodka had been added to its stocks and used in one of its pubs.

However, the company said that since the incident, the company had introduced more stringent systems and re-evaluated its procedures.

David Kitching, Stockton council's trading standards and licensing manager, said: "This should act as a warning to other traders who are tempted to buy from unknown traders who tout cheap spirits door-to-door to save a few pounds.

"Many of the products they supply are produced illegally with no controls over quality or safety. Traders should only buy from reputable sources to ensure the products they supply are genuine and accurately described."

Councillor Paul Kirton, Stockton council's cabinet member for community safety and protection, said: "Thankfully, the spirit did not pose a risk to the health of anyone who drank it and the actions of our officers ensured it was removed from sale quickly.

"Yet again, this shows how effective unannounced visits to local establishments to carry out checks can be in identifying problems."