Bakery fined for dead mice loaf

The baby mouse was found inside a loaf of bread

A bakery has been fined £7,000 after a supermarket customer found two dead baby mice in a loaf of bread.

British Bakeries admitted supplying the bread which contained the mice along with rodent droppings and hair.

The sliced brown loaf was bought by 41-year-old Sarah Smith from a Somerfield store in Marlborough, Wiltshire, in September last year.

The company was sentenced at Devizes magistrates today after a prosecution brought by Kennet Council.

British Bakeries admitted supplying food unfit for human consumption contrary to Section 8 of the Food Safety Act.

'Serious offence'

The own-brand loaf was traced to British Bakeries' branch in Avonmouth, Bristol.

Magistrates chair Nigel Spinney also ordered the firm to pay £2,015 costs.

He said: "We feel this offence was made more serious because of the nature of the contamination which involved new-born rodents being found in the bread."

British Bakeries, makes brands such as Hovis, Mothers Pride and Nimble.

In a statement the company said sorry: "We apologise to the customer affected and we wish to reassure our customers that we have taken every practicable step to ensure the problem does not reoccur."