A CHIP shop voted Blackburn's best five times in the last 20 years has been prosecuted under food hygiene regulations.

Blackburn magistrates heard that a catalogue of dirt, grime and pest infestation was discovered at Chopsticks, Livesey Branch Road.

But environmental health officers from Blackburn with Darwen Council decided that the conditions were not bad enough to make an immediate closure order on the takeaway premises. Binh Duong, of Leadale Road, Leyland, pleaded guilty to nine charges relating to hygiene conditions at the food outlet.

He was fined £2,250 and ordered to pay £2,018 costs.

Sajeda Khalifa, prosecuting, listed problems with food preparation surfaces and structural problems throug-hout the property.

She said there was dirt and grease everywhere and evidence of spiders and wood lice.

She confirmed that the shop had a contract with a pest control company for 10 visits a year and the last visit had been two months before environmental health officers called in July.

"The officers had to consider the risk to health of the general public," said Mrs Khalifa. "They did not consider the situation serious enough to close the shop down immediately."

Patrick Newell, defending, said that the chippy had been voted best chip shop in the town five times in the last 20 years.

He said his client still owned the property but the business had been transferred to his brother.

He said all the required work had now been carried out and procedures put in place to maintain standards.

Mr Newell said that before the incident Duong had gone home to Vietnam and left the takeaway, not trading, but in the care of two people. When he returned they had gone.

"When he returned in April they had left and the property was not in the best condition," said Mr Newell. "Because of his financial circumstances he resumed trading with a skeleton staff and accepts some of the everyday cleaning tasks were neglected."