Four restaurants have been told to clean up their act after falling foul of a hygiene spot-check.

In a joint operation between police, Trading Standards, Harrow Council and the Border Control Agency, raids were carried out at four food outlets in the borough last weekend.

All four were served with a notice after officers found poor standards of hygiene in their kitchens, and a foreign national was arrested at Taste of China in Station Road, Harrow, when he was found to be working on an out-of-date visa.

Harrow Council leader Councillor Susan Hall, said: “We want our restaurants to thrive during the busy holiday period but my first concern is of course the health and safety of residents.

"We have a duty to protect them where there are concerns over hygiene in our restaurants - especially important in the run-up to Christmas when people will be out and about in large numbers, socialising and enjoying themselves.

“It is also important to me that we have a level and legal playing field for our local businesses, so employing illegal workers or workers without the proper papers cannot be tolerated. It is unfair on everyone doing things the right way.”