A Southall shop has been fined £16,000 for selling rotten fish and groceries covered in mouse droppings and urine.

Tamilini Limited, trading as Tamilini Cash and Carry, of 195-197 The Broadway, Southall was found guilty of eight food hygiene offences at Ealing Magistrates’ Court.

Nobody from Tamilini showed up at court and the company was ordered to pay £2,000 for each offence and £1,442 towards the council’s costs.

A routine food hygiene inspection uncovered mouse droppings, urine stains and food debris all over the South Indian grocery shop.

Further exploration of the premises revealed a broken, rusty fish counter, displaying fresh fish that had become rotten and slimy after being kept at room temperature.

The fish was being weighed using dirty equipment and gutted on chopping boards covered in old food debris.

Food hygiene officers ordered staff to destroy nearly 60 kilos of rotten fish. The business was closed down to allow for the premises to be fumigated and a thorough deep clean to take place.

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for Safer Communities, said: "This case was revolting. This business was profiting from selling rotten, dirty food, contaminated with the faeces and urine of mice and cockroaches."

"The fish being sold was so disgusting; it could have caused severe food poisoning. There is no excuse for this kind of practise."

"We will not tolerate our residents being put at risk in this way and will continue to clampdown on anyone breaking the law."