THE owners of a Chinese restaurant have been ordered to pay £3,400 by a court after admitting to failing to keep their premises clean and maintained in good repair.

Man Ping Kwan and Pui Hong Tsui, the proprietors of the Wing Wah Chinese Restaurant in Bewdley, pleaded guilty at Kidderminster Magistrates Court to three charges under the 1990 Food Safety Act.

They admitted breaching regulations on the cleanliness of the kitchen, the condition of the kitchen and the cleanliness of their equipment.

The court heard that environmental health officers from Wyre Forest District Council had found the conditions during an inspection of the premises in Load Street in July. Among the problems discovered were dirty floors and walls and out-of-date food.

Acting for the council, Dermot Scully told the court the council's officers had discussed the poor state of cleanliness and the inadequate facilities for storage of foods with the owners and they had voluntarily closed the premises while they were cleaned.

The court also heard the business was up for sale.

Magistrates fined both men £1,500 and also ordered them to pay a total of £495 costs.

Councillor Anne Hingley, the district council's cabinet member for housing, health and rural affairs, said: "Protecting the health of the public is a main priority for the district council and we acted quickly and effectively to remove a very real and substantial risk.

"Our team of environmental health officers carry out regular programmed visits to food premises and work together with businesses to make sure food sold within the Wyre Forest district is safe."