A PUB kitchen was so dirty it represented a health hazard and food poisoning risk, a court heard yesterday.

Food was left exposed to possible contamination, rump steak lay in a pool of rancid and foul-smelling blood of indeterminate age, beef burgers and garlic bread were left uncovered, and a rusty plate rack was above the sink, at The Red Lion at Stubbington.

The catalogue of dangers also included dry foods exposed, including flour and sage and onion stuffing, and no records for the healthy temperatures at which food was kept to prevent bacteria breeding, Fareham magistrates were told.

Out-of-date food such as a caramel Betty, at four days old, and cooked beef, more than one day old, was also seen in the kitchen, said prosecutor Diane Bilton, for Fareham Borough Council.

Whitbread PLC admitted four offences of breaking the 1995 food safety regulations, and was fined £12,500 with £1,911 costs, by magistrates.

The court was told by the company that the manager at the time of the offences, in November last year, was sacked due to the state of the kitchen.

Ms Bilton said a spot check by environmental health officers revealed general poor standards of cleanliness and an apparent uncontrolled risk to food safety.

She said: "If this visit had not been made at this time the consequences to the public could have been catastrophic.

Ms Bilton said although Whitbread had extensive food safety management systems, the food safety dangers showed a failure within the company's organisation.

Steven Edmonds, for Whitbread, said it had co-operated fully with the council and took immediate action to close the kitchen and interview all staff.

New and existing staff were fully-trained and audits of the service were increased in frequency, both by the area manager and the pub manager, to prevent a re-occurrence.

Mr Edmonds said a domestic breakdown involving the manager at the time and his wife, could have contributed to the problems. He had been audited regularly and found to be satisfactory before the offences.