A CHINESE takeaway has been closed down with an emergency prohibition order after hygiene inspectors turned up at the kitchen to find there was no hot water.

Chun Choi Lee and his wife Yin Ye Lee appeared before magistrates sitting in Swindon on Monday after environmental health inspectors made the alarming discovery when they turned up for a routine inspection on Wednesday at the Rice House in Jenning Street, which was listed as their home address.

In its most recent inspection last autumn they received the lowest possible rating of '0' from the inspectors.

Prosecuting on behalf of Swindon Borough Council, Rosemary Heath told magistrates that the inspectors suspected the boiler had been broken for anything between one week and six weeks, leaving Mr and Mrs Lee with no way of cleaning their hands or their food preparation areas and kitchen appliances.

"There was no other method of heating water being undertaken," she said.

"There was no effective method to clean equipment or hands before, during or after preparing food. There was no confidence that effective procedures would be put in place after they had left."

Magistrates heard the inspectors had asked Mr and Mrs Lee to demonstrate how they washed their hands, and Mr Lee proceeded to show them that he washed them under a cold tap with no soap.

Mrs Lee was quizzed on how she cleaned the work surfaces, and she told the inspectors she used cloths soaked in hot water, before admitting she hadn't actually done this due to not having any hot water.

The dish drainer was seen to be used for cutting cooked meat, posing a great risk of cross contamination.

Inspectors also raised concerns about meat storage pots, which they feared had been used for both cooked and raw meat.

When they quizzed the tenant living in the flat above the takeaway - the Lee's son - he said he had phoned British Gas about the boiler about a week previously.

Both Mr and Mrs Lee had been insistent there wasn't anyone livng upstairs, and when asked in court about what her son had said Mrs Lee said he didn't know what he was talking about.

Mrs Heath informed magistrates that on the previous two inspections there had also been issues with hot water, firstly at a hand basin and on the second occasion when he boiler had been switched off.

She explained the restaurant's boiler had now been fixed but it was still necessary for the magistrates to activate an emergency order so the business owners could not seek compensation for loss of earnings from the council.

Chairman of the bench Martin Smith told the couple he had activated the order and said they must pay £1,307 in legal costs to Swindon Borough Council.

He said: "We can reduce these costs but we see no reason to reduce them and therefore you are ordered to pay the full costs. We have considered your means but we feel it appropriate that you pay the full amount."