A Chinese restaurant has been fined more than £11,000 for a string of breaches of health and safety regulations.

Dirt was found throughout Kings Hill Palace's kitchen and food preparation areas when inspectors made a routine inspection on March 15.

Now Toto Experience Ltd, owners of the eaterie in Liberty Square, West Malling, have been fined a total of £11,500 at Sevenoaks magistrates court.

The court heard an inspection by Tonbridge & Malling council’s environmental health team found dirt, grease and large build-ups of food debris in several locations including the kitchen floor, walls, the walk-in chiller and freezer, the food preparation table, food storage bins, the kitchen sink taps and shelves.

Containers were also said to have a build-up of dried food, and a chopping block was used for both raw meat and cooked chicken.

The inside of an ice machine contained black and pink growths and slime.

Steven Ly, company secretary of Toto Experience Ltd and Manager of Kings Hill Palace, pleaded guilty to the four offences.

Representing, Matt Nicholls told the court some improvements had been made and the business, owned by Mr Ly’s father, had been running for 30 years - five years under Mr Ly's father.

The firm was criticised for its "almost non-existent hygiene controls".

Toto Experience Ltd was fined £3,000 for the first offence, £3,500 for the second, £4,000 for the third and £1,000 for the fourth, plus a £15 victim surcharge and £2,123 costs, giving a total of £13,638.