Shop stocked ‘mice-gnawed’ food

A NEWSAGENT has been fined after food gnawed by mice was found on sale in a city centre branch.

The Hanover Street Martin McColl shop was ordered to pay £1000 after city council environmental health inspectors made the discovery.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard yesterday how staff from the local authority discovered packets of crisps that had been contaminated by the rodents in June 2011. If eaten, the crisps could have made people seriously ill. Inspectors also found shop workers hadn’t cleaned up mice droppings and reached the conclusion that the animals had urinated on the store’s shelving.

McColl’s, based in Brentwood, Essex, had pleaded guilty to one charge of contravening the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and the EC Communities Act 1972.

The company had originally faced four charges of violating food safety regulations, but the other three were dropped by prosecutors.