An Indian curry takeaway in England's Lancaster, named Nice and Spicy, has been fined £15000 after a customer found a 3 cm metal screw inside an onion bhaji.

Following an inspection, it was determined that the food was not properly protected from construction work that was being done on the site. The ingredients were apparently stored without lidded containers in the dusty and dirty dry store goods area. After confirming a number of such factors, the magistrates charged the restaurant with seven offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations, 2013.

Mark Davis, director of communities and the environment reportedly said, "All food businesses have a fundamental duty to their customers to operate their businesses in a responsible way to ensure that the food they provide is prepared in hygienic conditions and is fit for human consumption.

"Whilst the vast majority of our food businesses achieve a food hygiene rating of at least 3, and that many of our food businesses have a rating of 4 or 5, where this is not the case and businesses are not able to demonstrate that they are taking steps to improve their practices, the city council will not hesitate to prosecute.

"I urge anyone thinking of eating out or buying a takeaway to check out the food hygiene rating of the business. You can find out the rating of any food business by visiting www.lancaster.gov.uk/foodsafety"