Bad korma: 26 live chickens found living in the back yard of Indian restaurant… and the owner claims he had no idea

The RSPCA has seized 26 live chickens from the backyard of an Indian restaurant following a remarkable discovery made during a health inspection.

The birds were first discovered by Wyre Council staff behind the Indian restaurant Saffron, in Poulton, Lancashire after public tip-offs triggered the inspection.

However, the restaurant owner has claimed he had no idea the chickens were on the premises and suggested his business has been deliberately targeted.

Saffron restaurant in Poulton where RSPCA officers seized 26 live chickens from the property’s backyard

Owner Rakmat Ullah, who has managed Saffron for 10 years, said: ‘Unfortunately, and I don’t know who did it, but someone has planted some chickens in boxes in our back yard. I never expected to see anything like that in our yard.’

Officials found no evidence that poultry was being slaughtered on site.

Mr Ullah said he was in the middle of transferring the lease to a new manager.

He added: ‘I wasn’t at the restaurant, but I was called by the environmental health team during their inspection to say they had found some chickens.

‘I was amazed. I didn’t know anything about any chickens, but when I got there I saw seven or eight boxes with them in.

‘Then the RSPCA arrived and it was like a raid – they had three vans where they put all the chickens in cages. I had no idea what was happening.’

Owner Rakmat Ullah said he had no idea the chickens were in the yard and said they had been planted there

A spokesman for Wyre Council said: ‘Officers received reports of live chickens being kept at the rear of a food premises on June 19.

‘Environmental health officers visited the premises that day to investigate and carry out a food hygiene inspection. An investigation into the live chickens is still under way between the council and the RSPCA concerning animal welfare issues.’

A spokesman for the RSPCA confirmed an investigation was underway and said the chickens had since been rehomed

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