A KEBAB and pizza takeaway has been banned from using its food storage area after health inspectors found an infestation of rats.

Hygiene officers made a surprise visit to Delight 2 on Broadway, Didcot, on Tuesday, August 16, after getting a complaint that afternoon from a member of public.

But the officers got a surprise themselves when the found live and dead rats, rat faeces and gnawed packaging.

They immediately served a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice to prevent the takeaway from using its food storage buildings.

The next day Oxford Magistrates' Court made a damning order, saying the buildings constituted an "imminent risk to health", and ordered Delight 2 pay South Oxfordshire District Council £1,280 in legal costs.

Oxford Mail:

The takeaway will only be able to use the building again when the district council is satisfied that is has eliminated all pests and ensured the building cannot be access by any pests in future.

Only then will it no longer be classed as a risk to the public.

The council's cabinet member for environmental health Tony Harbour said "Most businesses work hard to provide high food safety standards.

"Cases like this show that those who fail to do this will face swift and decisive action from our officers to protect the public.

"In this case a member of the public made a complaint and we were at the premises later that same day to investigate."