FOUR businesses in the town have received one star food hygiene ratings from health inspectors.

The rating is the second lowest on the zero to five scale used by the Food Standards Agency (FSA), and means that "major improvement is necessary".

The four to receive the one star rating are: Chims Cafe in Kingfisher Square, Hong Kong Star in Ipsley Street, The Frontier Balti/Sicily Pizza in Hewell Road, and Pepinos on Unicorn Hill.

Lazio Pizza & Kebab House, in Marsden Road in the town, is also listed on the FSA website as having one star but were recently inspected and now have three stars.

The FSA scheme gives businesses a rating from five to zero and the takeaways are forced to display the information on their premises and online, so consumers can make more informed choices about where to buy and eat food.

The ratings available range from five - hygiene standards are very good, to zero - urgent improvement is required.

No Redditch businesses are currently listed on the FSA site as having a zero website.

Ratings are judged by inspectors on the standards in the handling of food, how food is stored, how food is prepared, cleanliness of facilities and pest control, how food safety is managed and evidence staff know about food safety.

All information published is based on results on the FSA website.

A reporter attempted to contact each business for a response.

A spokesman from the The Frontier Balti/Sicily Pizza, which has applied for re-rating, said the score was unfair.

"Just before the inspection we had heavy rain which caused a leak in the roof and water came into the shop which ruined some paperwork and that was why we were given the mark," they said.

"Everything was in order but we didn't have the paper work. The inspectors came back the next day when we had it but they said they could not change the score."