A Chinese takeaway in West Lothian served a prawn cocktail infested with insects.

A customer complained to environmental health officers in March after making the unpleasant discovery in her takeaway meal from Mei Hau Platform in West Calder.

She found that the lettuce in the prawn cocktail had a small number of black insects crawling on it.

When officers visited the premises later that week, they found a lettuce in the fridge which had similar bugs on it.

Bosses at the restaurant admitted that they did not wash or prepare the lettuce properly before using it in the customer's meal.

The owner of the takeaway appeared at Livingston Sheriff Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to supplying the customer with food contaminated with insects.

West Lothian Council said the business had a "varying record of compliance" and had previous convictions for food safety offences.

A spokesman for the local authority said: "It is disappointing that a food business operator can have such little regard for food safety and for customers' well-being.

"Although the vast majority of West Lothian food businesses operate safely, there are a small number which continue to be a problem and we hope that this latest case will act as a warning to them to improve their standards.

"Food safety is something many consumers take for granted and assume that eating out will be safe."

Sentence has been deferred until August 19.