A company has been fined £12,000 after mouldy food was found in a health club's kitchen.

Compass Services (UK) Ltd held the catering contract at the Esporta health club in Crawley Leisure Park at the time the offence took place in January this year.

Crawley magistrates were told hygiene inspectors had discovered a dish of pesto "completely covered in mould" and the growth had spread to other food containers in a small fridge, including tomato paste and a meat sauce.

Compass, of Parklands Court, Rubery, Birmingham, pleaded guilty to possessing food unfit for human consumption and failing to carry out the correct monitoring procedures.

The company was also ordered to pay £3,022 in costs.

Lois Howell, prosecuting for Crawley Borough Council, said the environmental health officer notified his immediate superior after the discovery of the mouldy food.

The senior officer went in person to see the contaminated items at the leisure centre and photographs were taken.

Miss Howell said the club's catering contract with Compass had ended in April and the firm was no longer involved in the Crawley operation.

Fiona Paddon, defending, said: "Compass provides catering for a wide range of corporate clients.

"It wishes to sincerely apologise for this offence, which is the first of its kind with regard to food safety.

"A manager was given a disciplinary interview following the discovery of the contamination and a change of personnel at senior level had also been a contributory factor."

Miss Paddon told the court training at the company had since been stepped up to avoid any chance of a reoccurrence.