A tip about conditions in a Tottington betting shop has led to a national firm of turf accountants being fined £28,000.

The court case against Needwood Racing came after a Bury Council investigation revealed electrical works which posed a threat of death or serious injury to customers and staff.

On Thursday the company, which has around 40 shops nationwide, admitted five charges under health and safety at work legislation in a prosecution brought by the council's environmental health team. Bury magistrates ordered the firm to pay £2,650 local authority costs.

The hearing was told environmental health officer Ruth Drury visited the company's Tottington outlet at Chapel Street in February last year after being tipped off by a colleague about conditions.

She observed that the electrical installation appeared to be in unfinished condition. A council electrical engineer confirmed her concerns and reported that some of the conditions were imminently dangerous and required urgent attention - and were in breach of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.

As a result, the company was ordered to immediately close the premises because of the threat of serious injury to staff or public and the risk of an electrical fire.

Council solicitor James Parry told magistrates that shop manager John Leslie Hannan told Ms Drury that Needwood had no immediate plans to carry out work at the premises.

Yet the council's electrical survey revealed a consumer unit with an exposed electrical conductor that could be touched by members of the public; a consumer unit that could cause strain on associated cables because it was not properly fixed; and cables installed throughout the building without support and damaged electrical flex.

Magistrates agreed an aggravating factor was that the nature and extent of the danger posed by the electrical system was such that death or serious injury could have been caused to the public or employees through electric shock or fire.

The court was told Needwood had inherited the unfinished electrical works when they bought the shop about two months before Ms Drury's visit. They had used the conditions to negotiate down the property price. The company, which denied staff or public were at risk, was also said to be planning to relocate. After the case, Bury Council executive member for environment and transport, Councillor Mike Connolly said: "We hope businesses across the borough will sit up and take notice of this case and heavy fines."