A popular all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant has been ordered to clean up its act after food hygiene inspectors found rat holes and droppings.

Chom Chom in Burgate Lane, Canterbury, was awarded the second-lowest score possible following an eye-opening visit that also uncovered rusty kitchen equipment and a lack of hot water.

Bosses were ordered to make major improvements to address a catalogue of issues linked to the cleanliness and condition of the facilities.

A damning report compiled on October 17 laid bare the sorry state Chom Chom had got itself into, with Canterbury City Council (CCC) officers warning restaurant bosses they needed to take immediate action.

Rodent holes were found under the cooker, while a rat run was exposed behind the drinks store missing its back panel.

Droppings were also discovered, as was evidence of rodent activity under fridges, freezers and the kitchen gully.

“You must call out your pest controller immediately to continue to monitor and eliminate pests,” reads the inspector’s report.

“You must clean up all droppings and remove all drinks until you repair this area.”

The level of cleaning throughout the kitchen, drinks store, front servery, cooker and cellar was described as “poor”.

Containers, dishes, utensils and chopping boards were all dirty and “not cleanable”, with officers advising bosses to discard all worn and rusty equipment.

There was no hot water supply to the kitchen's hand wash basin, stopping workers from washing their hands effectively.

Food, such as eggs, was found stored near dirty dishes on dust-covered shelves, with officers reminding Chom Chom bosses of the importance of keeping food in a safe and clean environment.

Items were also not labelled at all and temperatures of cooked goods were not documented properly, with a staff member ordered to take a level two food hygiene course.

Various ceiling panels were missing or dirty, as were wooden doors around the property, while floor tiles were cracked and unable to be cleaned properly.

Lights in the cellar and kitchen canopy were not working and needed to be replaced or fixed.

The buffet venue, which serves Thai, Chinese, Indian and more, was handed one star out of five, meaning major improvements are necessary.

Despite the dozen points of serious concern, it was felt the hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage and the management of food safety were “generally satisfactory”.

Chom Chom bosses were unavailable for comment.