HEALTH inspectors found two rats' nests at a fruit wholesalers in the region.

District Judge James Prowse, who viewed photographs taken inside the Fruit Warehouse, at South Bank, near Middlesbrough, described conditions as "absolutely appalling".

He fined the company a total of £12,000 - £4,000 on each of three breaches of food safety regulations - and awarded Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, which brought the case, £1,142.90p costs.

The offences, under the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995, were that the premises were not kept clean and maintained, that there were inadequate procedures to ensure pests were controlled and that the toilet drainage facilities were inadequate.

Managing director Andrew Holmes told Judge Prowse, sitting at Teesside Magistrates' Court, that he had since moved to "bigger and better" premises in Middlesbrough.

Catherine Hall, assistant director of public protection, said after the case : "We have a duty to protect the public and will take whatever steps are appropriate to ensure that food businesses in the borough operate to acceptable standards.