A SUPERMARKET’S hot food counter was shut amid concerns it was selling raw meat labelled as 'cooked'.

Food safety officers from Waltham Forest Council inspected the deli in Asda in Marshall Road, Leyton, after a customer complained after eating chicken thighs which turned out to be raw.

It has since been reopened but environmental health inspectors will be visiting the shop this week to investigate.

Cllr Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment, said: “An officer from our Food Safety team visited the Asda store in Leyton on Thursday following a customer complaint about chicken purchased from the hot food counter.

“Whilst the store did have procedures in place to ensure the food was being cooked correctly, it would appear that these were not being followed at the time.

“Following an inspection by our officer the store agreed to close the hot food counter voluntarily while any issues were rectified.

“Our officers will be revisiting the store this week to carry our further investigation and to work with the store to ensure that all the necessary procedures are being followed correctly in future.”

Lee Cave, a 36-year-old carpet fitter from Chingford, purchased four cooked peri peri chicken thighs from the hot food counter on Thursday, September 20.

After realising they were raw he was forced to make himself sick and he returned to the store, where he was offered a refund and a £2 gratuity voucher, which he refused to accept.

A spokesman for Asda said: "Our hot food counter has now been reopened after we voluntarily suspended the service to make sure that it met the high standards we always require and that our customers expect from us."