A PORTION of chips dished up with a cockroach was just one of the nightmare complaints dealt with by the council's food safety officers this year.

The stomach-churning discovery of the dirty dish, which resulted in a takeaway being fined £1000 after a prosecution by St Helens Council, was just one of 123 food complaints investigated.

In another creepy crawly episode a takeaway agreed to a temporary closure after becoming infested with German cockroaches!

However, the council do point out the cooperation of the owner ensured the problem to be swiftly resolved.

A local butcher was also punished after being found to have been selling meat products four days past their sell by dates.

Following a case at Liverpool Crown Court the company was fined £2000, and St Helens Council handed £5,000 in costs.

Throughout the year 927 food inspections to check food safety were carried out by environmental health officers, with 895 premises undergoing checks.

And despite, the isolated horror stories, environmental health bosses reckon that in general standards among St Helens food retailers are improving.

The is reflected in fact that 81 premises that sell food being issued with Food Hygiene Awards this year, with five of these being new businesses.

Howard Potts, principal environmental health officer for St Helens Council, said: "Standards are improving because were fully staffed and able to keep on top of inspections and able to visit premises regularly.

"We know where the problem premises are and are able to inspect them to the required standard."

He added: "Places like takeaways and sandwich shops are generally run like a family business and there can be problems.

"People can come into business thinking they can make money but don't have qualifications and don't really know what they are doing.

"However, plenty of these businesses are 'excellent' and were among premises that have been given Food Hygiene awards.

"The awards are in their eight year and from initially being 17 in the first year the number of premises with the achievement is now in the 80s, and were still finding people who want that award."