A sink being used to prepare both raw and cooked food, utensils and pans “saturated with grease and dirt” and a “cluttered” kitchen – these are just some of the reasons a fried chicken restaurant was told it needed to make major health and safety improvements.

The Bucks Free Press revealed last month that Dixee Chicken in Desborough Road - which used to be one of two High Wycombe takeaways to get zero stars for hygiene back in 2019 - had been rated as a one, meaning "major improvement necessary".

Food safety and hygiene officers visited the takeaway for their most recent inspection on January 10 this year.

The Free Press, as it does with all restaurants that receive a low hygiene rating, submitted a Freedom of Information request to Buckinghamshire Council to access the full report.

That access was granted - and reveals what it was that food hygiene inspectors found most troubling on their visit.

The inspector says the standards witnessed during their visit “fell far below the minimum standards required under food hygiene regulations” and revealed they would be back to visit to make sure their recommendations had been complied with.

They raised concerns about food debris and dirt on the floor behind and under equipment, dirt and grease on the underside of the front counter, an “accumulation” of fat and grease on the hot hold unit, pans and kitchen utensils that were “saturated” with grease and dirt, broken refrigerator seals and inadequate cleaning of the hand basin and disinfectant bottles in the kitchen.

Staff told the inspector they wash their chicken, but washing chicken poses a risk of cross contamination.

Their fried chicken, stored in the hot hold unit, was also measuring a temperature “considerably lower” than 63 degrees, which it must be stored at for safety reasons.

The inspector also noted “many dirty hand contact points” throughout the restaurant, indicating that the wash basin is not being used regularly and staff were reminded to wash their hands after using the toilet, handling rubbish, smoking, after handling raw food and after taking a break.

They also said they were not “entirely confident” that work surfaces and equipment were being disinfected, and they noted shredded lettuce was being kept at room temperature.

The inspector said this was bad because “such foods are likely to support the growth of food poisoning bacteria or the formation of toxins and must not be stored above eight degrees”.

They also urged restaurant staff not to use the kitchen sink and drainer for both raw and ready to eat/cooked food because of the risk of contamination and said they must clean and disinfect the work surfaces between uses.

Maintenance of the kitchen equipment and the fixtures and fittings also needs to be improved.

The inspector added: “Although certificates would suggest staff have undertaken relevant training, it was apparent during my inspection that the level of food hygiene awareness amongst your staff was inadequate.

“The conditions witnessed at the time of my inspection did not reflect the cleaning records being signed off and showed a general failure by management and staff to implement your safe procedures for cleaning and structural repair.”