A 'DISGUSTING and filthy' Dudley takeaway - which left a dead rat floating in waste oil in its back yard - has seen its owners fined more than £20,000.

The discovery of the rodent was one of a number of serious hygiene failings discovered at Mamaz in Wolverhampton Street during an inspection in August 2017.

Dudley Council’s environmental health officers brought the case against Mamaz following the inspection and it was heard at Dudley Magistrates Court last Wednesday (November 7).

Magistrates described the takeaway as ‘disgusting and absolutely filthy' and fined its owners £11,000 each with £410 costs and £100 victim surcharge.

Maqsood Ahmed, 41, and Mohammed Saghir, 43, both pleaded guilty to 11 charges under food safety and hygiene regulations.

The offences included failing to keep the premises and equipment clean and in good repair and condition, failing to provide hot water to the sink and wash hand basin and failing to comply with an improvement notice.

The court heard equipment including a food mixer, pizza oven, chopping boards, can opener, chest freezer and microwave were dirty.

Floors and a ceiling were defective and not capable of being cleaned and raw lamb burgers were stored above ready to eat foods in a refrigerator.

A lid to the waste oil container - which contained the rat - in the rear yard was missing and the owners had failed to put in place adequate food safety management procedures.

Dudley Council confirmed the premises has now changed ownership and has recently re-opened under a new name.

Councillor Cathy Bayton, cabinet member responsible for health and wellbeing, said: "Conditions at this takeaway were extremely poor and it is right the owners of this business, which has now closed, have been held to account and incurred such a significant financial penalty.

"While we prefer to work with businesses to secure compliance with the law, we will not hesitate to take legal action against the minority of food business proprietors who do not take our advice on board and who fail to meet their legal responsibilities.

"I want to reassure the public that the vast majority of food businesses in the borough are well run and compliant with hygiene and safety rules.

"More than half of all food outlets in the borough are achieving the top hygiene rating of five, with the vast majority achieving a satisfactory rating of three or more.

"I would urge consumers to check out hygiene ratings online as these will give consumers a glimpse of what is going on in the kitchen when they eat out, or behind the scenes at the places they shop.”