A cockroach infestation at an Indian restaurant has led to the former owner being fined thousands of pounds.

Bombay Dream in Loudwater closed its doors to the public for good last month after owner Solaman Pradhan was prosecuted for not taking adequate precautions against pests in June 2014.

Giving evidence, health officers from Wycombe District Council reported they took bags of cockroaches from the restaurant after making an inspection following a phone call from a member of the public who claimed to find a cockroach in their food at the restaurant.

However, after being initially closed down, the owners refurbished the restaurant, re-opened and managed to get their National Food Hygiene Rating to a “good” level of four (based on a zero to five rating).

Despite this turnaround the ownership of the building has since changed hands and a new Indian restaurant is due to open in its place next week.

Mr Pradhan said: “This was the first time it happened with us and we are sorry for this mistake.

“Since we closed we spent a lot of money on refurbishment and we got a new chef in. After this we were able to get back to a good rating of four.

“But, the restaurant is now no longer Bombay Dream anymore; it’s now Mensaab Indian Cuisine, a new owner, and a new chef and I wish them all luck in the future.”

On February 18, Mr Pradhan pleaded guilty at Wycombe Magistrates Court to two separate food safety offences committed at the time of the closure.

He was ordered to pay a £2,000 fine, £1,500 towards the council’s costs and a victim surcharge of £100, a total of £3,600.