A Chinese takeaway plagued with black mould and “greasy cobwebs” has been slapped with a one-star food hygiene rating.

Inspectors came across 30 violations when they visited Peking House in Cheriton High Street, Folkestone, in March.

Other issues flagged included frozen food being left to defrost on the floor and broken pipes leading to flooding in the kitchen.

Now, Folkestone and Hythe District Council (FHDC) has handed the takeaway the second-lowest possible hygiene score – meaning ‘major improvement (is) necessary’ – as it ordered the company to clean up its act.

Among the most damning of criticisms was the general standard of cleaning in the kitchen and food storage areas.

Fat fryers, doors, plug sockets, taps, pipes, walls with “greasy cobwebs”, floors and the cleaning equipment itself were branded “dirty”.

Some equipment in contact with food, such as plastic storage containers, lidded metal pots, and wooden chopping boards were not clean.

A cloth with black mould was found, as was a green pot scourer covered in raw meat particles.

The ceiling in the food preparation area was “dirty and mouldy” with flaking paintwork, with FHDC officials describing it as being “in poor condition”.

“A thorough deep clean and disinfection is required,” warned inspectors. “Thoroughly clean the food storage containers, metal pot and wooden chopping board to minimise the risk of contamination.

“Cleaning materials should be maintained in a clean condition and stored in an area away from the risk of contamination.”

Raw pork ribs were laid directly on a sink draining board, while containers of prepared ribs were placed directly on top of a waste bin.

Food handling staff did not wear aprons, despite them being available, while it was noted “the level of food hygiene awareness was inadequate”.

Staff had not received sufficient training about allergens.

High-risk foods and sauces were being kept at incorrect temperatures, potentially leading to the growth of harmful bacteria.

The firm’s documented food safety management papers were disorganised and out of date, with little evidence of control measures in place.

At the time of the visit, bowls of food for a family meal were on a table in the food preparation area along with other personal items such as bags, clothing, and a pushchair.

The owner’s young child was in the food preparation and cooking areas of the kitchen.

The report added: “This is a commercial and not a domestic kitchen and therefore must only be used for this purpose due to the risk of contamination of food.

“People, including children, who are not food handlers, should not be entering the food preparation and cooking areas of the commercial kitchen as they are not trained and there is the potential risk of contamination of food.”

The two hand-wash basins in the rear food storage area had items in them and were obstructed with empty containers, with the inspector noting they were not in regular use.

There was also no hot water to the sinks until it was turned on by an employee, and hand-wash basins in the cooking area of the kitchen were blocked, leading to a leak in the drainage system spilling wastewater over the floor.

It was recommended the takeaway set up a pest control contract, keep all foods covered during storage, implement a stock control system and declutter the food preparation area.

Faulty electrics required attention with loose sockets and poorly wired extension leads, while there was no evidence of the maintenance of the gas system within the past year.

It is understood a revisit will be conducted by FHDC officials this month.

The takeaway has a 3.2 rating on Tripadvisor, and a 4.2 rating on Google.

Peking House was approached multiple times to respond to the findings of the inspection.