A BAKERY that supplied schools and hospitals across the region with bread and buns has been condemned for its filthy, insect-infested conditions.

One food inspector was met by escaping fruit flies when he squeezed a lump of yeast at Riverside Bakery Limited, in Middlesbrough.

The inspectors discovered appalling conditions at the factory in Bowes Road, Riverside Park, including more discarded dough infested with fruit flies, biscuit beetles and mould as well as toilets covered in human faeces.

Teesside Magistrates' Court heard that the company had failed to clean up its act, even though an independent firm it brought in itself to check on its cleanliness standards reported to management it had found dirty and unacceptable conditions on six out of seven visits last year - the last five days, before the food inspectors' check.

Yesterday, the firm, which supplies bread and buns to 1,000 clients including schools, hospitals and sandwich shops across the region, was fined £16,000 after pleading guilty to four breaches of food safety regulations.

Middlesbrough Council food inspectors uncovered the filthy working conditions in October last year.

Although there was no evidence that infected products had been delivered to customers, Jeanette Thompson, prosecuting for Middlesbrough Council, said: "We have to have concerns about the potential of people being affected by the firm not having an adequate cleaning system in place."

Inspectors found filthy equipment and waste food was allowed to build up in food preparation areas, which were infested with fruit flies and biscuit beetles.

Mrs Thompson told the court the photographs taken during the inspection showed "diabolical" conditions.

She said: "There was a strong smell coming from the men's toilets. They were filthy, the toilets were covered in faeces and the urinals had chewing gum blocking the drains - it was in a filthy condition.

"On the factory floor, there were prepared buns which had been chucked on the ground, as well as dough and food and machinery that was encrusted with flour and debris. There were sweet wrappers and a football in the preparation area."

Chris Timley appeared in court to enter the guilty pleas on behalf of the company that employs about 70 staff.

In mitigation, solicitor Simon Catterall accepted cleanliness was not up to standard at the time of the inspection.

He said: "There is no getting away from the fact that the toilets should have been cleaner than they were. It was a bad day for the company.

"This is the first prosecution in 23 years, they didn't put in place the system and drowned under the expansion plans. If it was so bad they could have shut the factory down, but it wasn't."

He added: "They deeply regret it and have put in place a system to ensure it doesn't happen again."

Magistrates ordered the firm to contribute £2,462 in court costs, with the total sum to be paid within 90 days.

After the hearing, the council's senior food safety officer Jane Aislabie said: "The company showed a severe lack of effective management controls culminating in very poor standards of food hygiene."

Mr Catterall said: "This was an isolated incident nearly a year ago since when the company has invested over £750,000 in new plant.

"The company still makes the best bread buns in the North-East."