The director of a children's centre that was unsafe for children and covered in mouse droppings has escaped a fine after admitting a series of safety breaches.

Janet Walters, of Claypiece Road, Withywood, was responsible for Alphabet Zoo at the Old Bingo Hall in Winterstoke Road, until its closure earlier this year.

She pleaded guilty to five violations of health and safety laws and eight food safety breaches when she appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court yesterday.

But despite facing a maximum fine of £95,000 and court costs of nearly £8,000, magistrates gave the 52-year-old a conditional discharge for two years.

The former NHS domestic help was ordered to pay just £1,000 of the £7,292 court costs and an order was made banning her from operating any food business again.

Ashley Clark, prosecuting on behalf of council, said: "Following general complaints from several members of the public, three improvements notices were served on April 20 last year, for the proper maintenance of play and electrical equipment.

"Another member of the public made a complaint about an incident on May 6. A boy had climbed on netting but fell, hitting his face on the concrete floor below."

Council officers were sent to inspect the property and found pathways to fire exits were obstructed by refuse and a broken bicycle.

No records of maintenance were kept and a log book showed seven accidents since November 2006.

Padding on equipment and stairways was worn and there was a lack of supervision of children.

The centre was described as "the worst maintained play area he had seen in some time" by one inspector.

Hundreds of mouse droppings were found during a further visit on January 20, the court heard.

Ms Clark said: "There were fresh droppings on the shelves under the sink, and hundreds behind the drinks fridge. There were droppings in the ball pit, the slide and a blue ride-on dog.

"The area smelled strongly, there was decomposing matter and a dead mouse. There were also traces of potentially fatal salmonella."

A closure notice was served on the property but it was only shut for a matter of days after cleaning had taken place.

Giles Nelson, mitigating, said: "This is a lady who tried. The centre is a very large area and when she took it over wasn't in a good state of repair. She began with another man who asked her to take it on in June 2006, and he kept ownership until January 2007.

"When she took it over bills had not been paid or wages to staff, something she didn't realise.

"She had to hire in family, there were seven, she couldn't afford professional help. Her daughter and her son worked all hours.

"She suffers from depression, has had five strokes in the last few years and this business gave her further health problems to the point where she couldn't continue running it."

"In May this year she went bankrupt and doesn't want to run a business."

Mr Nelson said the rent on the building was £1,700, while business rates and heating were £1,000 each. He said Walters had hired a pest controller to tackle rodent problem but there was an infestation at a derelict property next door.