A SUPERMARKET has been fined £27,500 after ox tongue supplied to it by a Great Harwood company was found to be infected with listeria.

Booths said it had been ‘very badly let down’ by Wirral Foods, which is based in Empire Street, after the supermarket admitted 10 food-related charges, one of which was the sale of the meat containing unusually high levels of the potentially life-threatening bacteria.

A spokesman for the supermarket said it stopped trading with the East Lancashire supplier as soon as it learnt of the problems.

Most of the charges, which were brought by Fylde Council, occurred almost two years ago at the Booths outlet in Lytham.

A Booths spokesman said: “Booths, as the retailer of the ox tongue, is technically guilty of the charges but the source of the listeria was traceable to the manufacturer of the ox tongue, Wirral Foods.

“Booths and our customers have been very badly let down by Wirral Foods. Booths takes food safety and hygiene incredibly seriously and keeps a rigorous regime of food safety protocols across all areas of the business. The authorities are satisfied with Booths’ response to the incident and have allowed the store to continue to trade throughout.”

Coun Tommy Threlfall, Fylde Council’s cabinet member for the environment and partnerships, said: “Booths is a highly regarded family firm.

“It makes a great contribution to the economic life of Fylde.

“It is very sad that they have been in court.

“They have already assured us, however, that they have learned from this episode and Fylde Council will help if we can.”

Nobody from Wirral Foods was available for comment.