Popular pasty shop Greggs was closed this week after a mouse reportedly fell through the ceiling.

The shutters were down at the food outlet in The Mall Chequers on Tuesday afternoon and yesterday and members of the public say they were told the tumbling rodent was the reason for the closure.

It is thought the animal may have fallen from an air conditioning unit. It is not known whether the mouse was dead or alive.

A spokesman for Greggs said: "Nothing is more important to us than hygiene and food safety and we take immediate action if there is any concern over possible infestation.

"After a small mouse was spotted by a staff member, we closed the shop and it has now been professionally cleaned and sealed from the adjacent premises. We are confident that this was a one-off incident."

A spokesman for The Mall Chequers said: “We are aware of an incident that took place at Greggs this week. They are investigating the cause and taking steps to ensure this does not happen again. We will do all we can to assist.”

Maidstone Borough Council’s environmental health team did not receive a complaint but food retailers are not required to report mice in their building providing they have procedures in place to deal with them.

Each food unit in The Mall Chequers is responsible for maintaining its own hygiene standards rather than it being the responsibility of the shopping centre’s management team.

The store opened as usual this morning and no other shops were affected.