A BARGAIN shop has been fined £16,000 after health inspectors discovered an infestation of mice urinating on food.

Environmental health officers visited the Family Bargains store in King's Walk, Wantage, on February 5 after a customer complained they had seen a mouse.

They found evidence of an "extensive" infestation including food contaminated with urine and faeces and three live mice nesting in a storage area.

The shop owners, 99p Stores Ltd, agreed to immediately stop selling food and drink until the problem had been eradicated.

The Vale of White Horse District Council inspectors went back on February 13 and confirmed the infestation had been cleared.

They were also satisfied that suitable processes had been put in place to ensure that problem would not happen again, meaning the shop could once again sell food and drink.

However the council still prosecuted the firm for four breaches of food and hygiene regulations.

The company, based in Northampton, pleaded guilty to the four charges at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Monday(nov23).

Magistrates fined the firm £16,000 – £4,000 for each offence – and ordered it to pay £2,413.75 legal costs and a £120 victims' surcharge.

Vale cabinet member for environmental health Roger Cox said: "Shop owners have a responsibility to ensure that their premises are safe and hygienic.

"By allowing an infestation to take place the store put customers at risk and that simply isn't acceptable.

"We're are pleased that magistrates agreed that this was a serious breach of regulations and imposed a suitable fine.

"Hopefully this will send a message to all retailers to ensure they have suitable safety and hygiene provisions in place."