An “active and widespread” cockroach infestation has been uncovered in a town centre restaurant and labelled a “significant risk to public health”.

Tacos Lacos, in Sittingbourne High Street, has been forced to close after a damning inspection report.

The Mexcian restaurant was issued a hygiene emergency prohibition notice following the visit from a Swale council environmental health officer.

Musa Kivrak, the owner of the restaurant, says he is “working to improve hygiene”. He gave no other comment.

The restaurant will be able to reopen when the cockroach problems have been addressed.

The inspector's report, which was issued on Wednesday, November 1, has been put up in the window.

It states that the “health risk condition was fulfilled” as “there is widespread, live active cockroach infestation with all stages of the life cycle seen”.

This resulted in “a significant risk to public health,” it added.

Based in the former Bull Inn, the Tex-Mex is currently up for sale for £750,000 after opening in January 2018.

The building was first documented as a watering hole in 1770 but closed in 2012.

Mr Kivrak had also opened Amalfi in the old Woolwich bank along Sittingbourne High Steet in 2019.

However, it closed in 2022 after trade struggled to recover following the pandemic.

The building has since become a Turkish restaurant under new owners.