MEAT infested with maggots and fly eggs was discovered at a butchers by health inspectors.

Council food safety officers made the grim discovery at Ye Olde Butchery, in Wood Street, Walthamstow, and said it was “one of the worst” butchers shops they had ever visited in the borough.

The officers visited the shop on August 28 following a complaint from a customer who had bought chicken from the butcher - only to find it was crawling with maggots.

Inspectors said they were appalled by the “dire hygiene” conditions discovered at the shop, which included a cold room infested with blowflies, fly eggs on carcasses and several pieces of mouldy meat.

They also found beard clippings around a wash basin and on meat itself.

A hygiene emergency prohibition notice was served immediately and the shop was closed the same day.

The closure was later confirmed at Waltham Forest Magistrates’ Court, with £560 costs awarded to the council.

The shop re-opened on September 1 after being approved by inspectors, but a council spokesman said its food safety team is considering whether to take further action against the shopkeeper.

Cllr Afzal Akram, Waltham Forest’s cabinet member for community safety, enforcement and protection, said: “This is a great, if rather disgusting, example of how hard our food safety team work to make sure residents can have confidence in the food they buy.

“The conditions the officers found were frankly inexcusable and this case illustrates the kind of immediate action we can take against businesses that fail to provide good standards of hygiene.”

The manager of Ye Old Butchery confirmed that it is open for business, but declined to comment.

Anyone with food safety concerns can report it to the council's food safety team on 8496 3000.