A FILTHY fast food takeaway has been exposed as the worst case ever dealt with by health officers.

Gino's Takeaway, in Yarm Lane, Stockton, was serving food in squalid conditions with no sign of any basic hygiene.

Health officers from Stockton Borough Council found a build-up of cooking grease on walls and a smell of rotten food.

Rob Llewellyn, principal environmental health officer, said: "This was certainly the worst ever case I have come across. There was just no hygiene whatsoever."

Teesside Magistrates' Court heard how the fridge was set at 17 degrees and staff were unaware of temperatures for cooked food.

Roicin McKenzie, prosecuting, told the court yesterday: "The premises were found to be in an extremely filthy condition. Officers found a number of contraventions of basic food hygiene. There was a build-up of grease and debris on work surfaces and high-risk food was left out on worktops. There were also no cleaning facilities in food preparation areas."

Miss McKenzie said three improvement notices were handed out last December to owner Angela Elstob. But the court heard how on the next visit, three days later, there was no significant change.

The mother-of-three, owner for about three years, was interviewed by environmental health officers in January.

She admitted the premises were in "an unhealthy condition" and was given advice on how to improve them.

David Scourfield, mitigating, said Elstob no longer had a managerial role at the shop and now only worked there 15 hours a week.

Magistrates fined Elstob £2,500 and told her: "These are extremely serious offences. Your customers were at risk from your actions."

Elstob, of Grange Road, Middlesbrough, admitted five counts of food hygiene contraventions and must also pay more than £1,500 in costs.

Mr Llewellyn said: "It was exceptionally filthy and we don't normally have to take things as far, but Angela Elstob left us with no choice, she ignored all help offered to her."