THE former owner of a Chinese takeaway was ordered to pay more than £4,000 for putting her employees’ lives at risk.

Siew Ling Yap paid £4,600 after staff at the Crispy Duck 1 in Lostock Place, Didcot, were found sleeping in a loft space accessed from a store room.

Fire safety inspectors were tipped off about the conditions by officers from South Oxfordshire District Council environmental health team.

Due to the dangerous practices and inadequate fire safety measures, the inspectors issued a prohibition notice.

Ms Yap, who no longer owns the Crispy Duck, appeared at Banbury Magistrates Court on Friday and admitted failing to take general fire precautions to ensure the premises were safe for employees; failure to ensure it was possible for people to evacuate the premises as quickly and safely as possible and failure to provide an adequate fire detection and alarm system.

She was ordered to pay £3,000 in fines, £1,500 in legal costs and a £100 victim surcharge.

The case was taken to court by Oxfordshire County Council on behalf of its fire and rescue service.

Fire protection manager for Oxfordshire David Bray said: “It is important that businesses not only understand why a risk assessment must be initially undertaken, but as part of our constant drive to make Oxfordshire safer, we need businesses to regularly review their fire safety arrangements.

“By correctly managing their premises and not committing fire safety offences, business operators can avoid placing the occupants at risk of possible death or serious injury in the event of fire.”

The takeaway now has new management.