A routine inspection of a Fleetwood bakery and outside catering company revealed an unpleasant addition to the menu.



Council officers found a live mouse and a large quantity of mouse droppings, some on a cake stand and some just centimetres away from some freshly prepared dough.

The director of Lawns Bakery, on Manor Road, Fleetwood, admitted nine offences brought under Food Hygiene legislation in a prosecution by Wyre Borough Council.

Daniel Fish operates the bakery and the Dancing Fish outside catering company. He was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £1,320 costs and £170 victim’s surcharge by Blackpool Magistrates.

He must pay the fine and costs at a rate of £260 a week magistrates ordered.

Chairman of the bench Brian Horrocks told Fish:”This was a disgraceful catalogue of events.The public need to know that their food is prepared to a high standard.”

“Not only that the records you kept shall we say were not accurate and it beggars belief that the amount of mouse droppings which were found came from one animal.”

Prosecutor Mary Grimshaw said that Fish had received a previous caution over the state of his premises.

She said that when Wyre Council environment officers made a routine call to the premises they were astonished to see a live mouse on the floor.

She said that mouse droppings were found in several rooms.There were holes in the walls and skirting boards and paint was flaking from the ceilings.

“Mr Fish voluntarily agreed to closed the premises.They underwent a deep clean and were allowd to re opened the following day,” said the prosecutor.

“Mice and their droppings are a danger to public health as they carry diseases such as crypto speridium and salmonella.”

“ The structural state of the premises was in a poor state and there were several entry points for infestation.”

“The inside of a microwave was dirty and a light switch was dirty and cracked.”

“There was also broken pipe work.”

“There were mice droppings on a cake stand and next to dough posing a serious risk to health.”

“Records kept by Mr Fish said that work had been done which clearly had not.”

When formally interviewed Fish said that he had perhaps got lazy after Christmas and allowed things to drift.

Defending himself he said that fly tipping in a nearby alleyway had added to the problem.

He bought the premises in 2015 when the premises had four stars .

The bakery and outside catering business had a combined turnover of £240,000 a year but hs last accounts revealed a loss of £1,900.

He sad he had invested over £20,000 of his own money trying to improve the premises which he had now put up for sale.