A mayor cancelled his annual ball at a hotel because his council was prosecuting it for having a dirty kitchen, Teesside Crown Court was told yesterday.

It should have been the third time the mayor of Redcar held the charity ball at the town's Regency Hotel.

The council's Trading Standards, Neighbourhood Services and other departments had also held functions there.

Louise Lancaster, who was a duty manager at the hotel, which is now closed, told the court: "Last year's mayor's ball was cancelled due to court proceedings that were going on. When the premises were open they were patronised by Redcar Council."

The prosecution was recommended by environmental health officer Andrew McKenna who inspected the kitchens in March and May last year.

He reported that he found a dead moth and dead flies, mould, grease and dirt in the kitchen.

Miss Lancaster said that after the March inspection, Mr McKenna told her: "Keep on top of cleaning."

She next saw him at the hotel in October when the prosecution was already under way. She told the court: "Mr McKenna basically said off the record he could not understand how it had gone that far. He said he had seen kitchens in a far worse state than ours. He said that the kitchen was a lot brighter compared to his last visit."

Mr McKenna denied a defence claim that some of the 16 photographs of the hotel which he produced were bogus.

Plusbonus Limited, owners of the hotel, in Coatham Road, plead not guilty to failing to keep premises clean and in good repair and condition on May 16 last year.

The case continues.