A MOBILE phone shop has been fined - because its staff had nowhere to wash their hands.

Discount Mobiles Ltd in Blackburn, received a £200 fine and was ordered to pay £1,390 court costs after a successful prosecution by Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

The council took the action against the Blakey Moor shop as it was "repeatedly told" by the local authority to provide facilities for staff to wash and dry their hands "but failed to do so."

Representatives of the company appeared at Blackburn magistrates court and pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an improvement notice.

The company was fined £200 and ordered to pay court costs of £1,390.

Under Health and Safety Executive requirements all companies must provide basic washing facilities including: l Hot and cold running water l Enough soap or other washing agents.

l A basin large enough to wash hands l A means for drying hands such as paper towels or a hot air dryer.

The council said the company had now installed the required facilities.

Coun Dave Hollings, executive member for citizens and consumer rights said: "I hope it acts as a warning to other companies which are failing to meet basic hygiene requirements.

"Environmental health officers visited the shop several times and asked the owners to put right this basic health and safety problem which they failed to do.

"They were served with an improvement notice but even that didn't get the problem sorted out. In the end we had no option but to prosecute."

Nobody from the company was available to comment.