There was a rat in the kitchen at a Halesowen school according to hygiene inspections released to the Halesowen News under Freedom of Information legislation.

The rat got into the kitchen at Leasowes Community College and had made its way into a food storeroom.

The hygiene inspection - on January 27 this year - noted the rodent had been removed and as a result items were thrown away and tins and jars cleaned.

The report highlighted other problems at the school including a leaking fridge, loose wall tiles, dirty flooring behind a chest freezer, and a dirty can opener.

But generally hygiene was good in kitchens - with a few areas of concern pinpointed.

An inspection at Cradley High on June 9 2006 noted packed mushrooms were stored on the same shelf of the fridge as raw fish or meat.

At Earls High on September 27 last year inspectors found a partly used container of double cheese and spring onion sandwich filling past its use by date in the fridge and a mouldy splash back behind a hand wash sink.

At Windsor High on October 5, 2005, there were cobwebs on window frames and flaking varnish, and dust on top of a dishwasher.

Concerns were also noted in inspections at Halesowen primary schools.

At Colley Lane Primary an inspection on June 8, 2005, noted the sandwich chiller temperature was too high.

At Halesowen C of E Primary on March 16, 2006, it was noted wooden stools were stained.

Flaking paint on walls and a faulty flush mechanism on a toilet were found at Hasbury Primary on January 11, 2006.

A cable to an electrical insect killer was dirty at Howley Grange Primary on July 14, 2006.

Dusty extractor filters were found at Huntingtree Primary on September 23, 2005.

In an inspection at Hurst Green Primary on November 24, 2005, it was recommended the method and frequency of cleaning of the blade on a can opener be reviewed.

Temperature monitoring sheets weren't being filled in properly at Lutley Primary on July 14, 2005.

There were cracked kitchen tiles at Manor Way Primary, on February 21, 2006.

There was a gap big enough to let pests in under a door at Newfield Park Primary on June 9, 2006.

At Olive Hill Primary on January 31, 2006, a fridge was running at 10 degrees celcius - when it should have been eight or below - but an engineer had been called out.

Temperature records weren't being completed daily at Our Lady and St Kenelm on January 16, 2006, or at Tenterfields Primary on December 19, 2005.

There was a mouldy window frame at Cradley Primary School on January 28, 2005.

John Freeman, director of children's services, said: "Catering facilities in Dudley schools are run to high standards of food hygiene and safety and appropriate action is always taken upon receipt of an Environmental Health Officer's report.

"Dudley Council's catering service was not responsible for the catering facilities at Leasowes school when the inspection was carried out.

"Private contractors were running the catering facility at that time but the council's own catering service have subsequently been awarded the contract for this school.

"Many of our schools have achieved the Dudley Food for Health Award in recognition of both high standards of hygiene and our commitment to providing healthy food choices for children in the borough's schools.

"Considerable investment has been made in our school kitchens and in training our staff and we will continue to work with environmental health and the public health nutrition team to increase further the uptake of hygiene awards and the availability of healthy choices for all our children."