A decomposing mouse was found sandwiched between packets of beans at a convenience store.

The owner of the Gurkha SP4 Mini Market in Brompton High Street, Gillingham, has been fined after the discovery.

Rodents had torn their way into packets of food, contaminating them and leaving their droppings all over the shop shelves.

Environmental Health Officers made an unannounced visit to the shop on August 23 last year and immediately shut the premises down.

They discovered a widespread infestation, poor cleanliness and a mouse corpse in between packets of mung beans.

Rodents had torn their way into packets of food, contaminating them and leaving their droppings all over the shop shelves.

Last week shop owner Mrs Prerna Rai appeared at Medway Magistrates' Court.

She pleaded guilty to five charges in relation to a lack of cleaning and repair, inadequate procedures to control a mouse infestation, food which had been contaminated by mice, no running hot water at the hand wash sink and failure to put in place procedures to manage food safety.

Rai was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £500 costs as well as a £40 victim surcharge.

After the market was initially inspected it was shut for six days to be cleaned up so conditions were no longer presented a risk of health to the public.

Since reopening, the owner has refurbished the shop and Environmental Officers noted a vast improvement in hygiene standards.

Medway Council’s head of Community Safety and Customer Contact Cllr Peter Hicks said: “The standards of cleanliness and hygiene in this mini market were in no way acceptable and posed an imminent risk to the health of the public.

“We expect all commercial premises in Medway to maintain the highest standards and deliver a quality service to local people. This shop owner has had to pay out a large sum and lost out on business for nearly a week as a result of not maintaining acceptable standards.

"Medway Council Food and Safety team are always willing to offer free advice to food premises on their responsibilities for ensuring food safety."

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