A health club has been fined over £13,000 after their kitchen was found covered in animal faeces.

David Lloyd Leisure was found guilty of not keeping their Carterhatch Lane premises clean and in good condition, with inadequate pest control procedures.

Enfield Magistrates Court heard that during a routine inspection on 3 December 2014, food preparation areas in the kitchen of the health spa and fitness centre were found covered in mouse droppings while unsuspecting customers were being served food and drink in the bar and restaurant.

During the council inspection, mice droppings were found throughout the kitchen, behind fridges and freezers and under shelves. Droppings were also found in the staff office, which was next to the kitchen.

Inspectors also found a build-up of dirt and food debris in the kitchen on equipment and surfaces, as well as on fridge and freezer handles, light switches and around doors.

Enfield Council’s food safety team shut the kitchen down immediately. The kitchen has since been cleaned and improved to an extent that it has been allowed to reopen.

The council's cabinet member for environment Cllr Daniel Anderson said: "It is completely unacceptable for places which sell food to endanger the health of customers by failing to take proper precautions against pests and operating unhygienic premises.

“I am shocked that such a well-known and busy club, which is there to promote healthy lifestyles, thought it acceptable to have large amounts of mouse droppings strewn around their kitchen area and where food was prepared. I am pleased that swift action was taken and the business has now cleaned up its act.”

The owners of the Carterhatch Lane centre were fined £11,652.40 and ordered to pay £1,652.40 costs at Enfield Magistrates Court on 4 February.