MOUSE droppings and gnawed food packages were among the unappetising finds which led to a restaurant being fined by the council.

Environmental health officers found that rodents were using holes in the floors and doors to access the SWAD Restaurant, in Thornton Heath.

Council staff were so disturbed by the unsavoury discovery they had no choice but to close SWAD and neighbouring Sapna Cash & Carry, in London Road, for several days.

The mess led cash and carry owners Sudhurkumar and Nirbuen Patel and My Crown Restaurants Ltd to receive stiff fines.

After pleading guilty to three separate charges the defendants were issued with fines and court costs of £3,500 each at Croydon Magistrates' Court.

Both premises were visited on the same day as another business on London Road, Norbury Halal Meat.

Inspectors found there that an earlier notice which they had served to make sure the owners enact a strict cleaning regime had not been followed.

They still rated the business as "marginally unsafe".

This led the council to prosecute the owners, Tanveer Mahmood and Tariq Ahmed.

The pair also pleaded guilty and were fined a total of more than £2,500 including costs.