A Telford town centre store was so badly infested with mice they were seen running around inside and their droppings littered the floor and food shelves, a court heard.

Health inspectors said Poundland in Telford Shopping Centre smelled strongly of mouse urine and there was evidence the vermin had gnawed at food, such as bags of crisps and pork scratchings on sale.

Telford Magistrates Court heard yesterday that although there were no reports of anyone falling ill as a result of the infestation, customers could have been affected not only by eating the contaminated food but also by just handling the packages.

Poundland, which has 200 stores nationwide, attracts 1.5 million customers-a-year and whose head office is in Willenhall, Walsall, admitted five breaches of the 2006 Food Hygiene Regulations.

It was fined a total of £6,000 and ordered to pay £10,425 costs.

Deputy District Judge Jim Davies was told Telford & Wrekin Council environmental health officers visited Poundland on Novem- ber 12 last year after a member of the public reported seeing a mouse in the store.

Tina Street, prosecuting for the authority, said one inspector saw a live mouse himself at the store where large quantities of mouse droppings were found on the shelves and floor in the food display area as well as upstairs in the warehouse.

She added: “Officers not- ed a strong smell of mouse urine. Also, large quantities of dirt and debris were underneath the shelving.”

The hearing was told the inspectors found droppings on food packaging and some goods showed evidence of having been gnawed.

Mrs Street said bait boxes were in the building but they had failed to trap any mice.

Rachael Histed, for Pou- ndland, told the court the store was voluntarily closed after the inspection and it underwent thorough cleaning by professional contractors before reopening three days later.

Mrs Histed said Poundland was very sorry for the offences and deeply regretted the standards found by the inspectors.

She said a new manager had taken over, new health and hygiene procedures put in place and a new pest control company engaged to look after the building.

By Simon Hardy