TRADING Standards officers say restaurants and takeaways can’t dress up mutton as lamb.

The department says there were “meat substitute issues” with one independent restaurant and one restaurant chain found advertising lamb dishes but using mutton.

West Sussex County Council Trading Standards team manager Richard Sargeant said: “There is nothing wrong with restaurants using mutton as an ingredient, indeed some think it has more flavour than lamb, but they cannot then describe it as a lamb dish.

“Customers have to know what they are buying and many would be put off buying a ‘mutton curry’ for example.”

But more worrying was a covert sample of curry taken from a Worthing restaurant and takeaway after a member of the public raised concerns the meat wasn’t lamb.

Mr Sargeant said: “The results showed the meat contained between five per cent and 30 per cent pork. We are currently investigating how this could have happened.”

David Barling, county councillor for residents’ services, said: “Clearly this has significant implications for those whose faith prohibits the consumption of pork and our Trading Standards team will be getting to the bottom of what happened.

“In the Christmas run-up, they were also out checking the authenticity of venison dishes and these results will be available early in the New Year.”

If you think a meal you bought was described incorrectly, contact trading standards via the Citizens’ Advice Consumer Service by calling 03454 040506.

You can also report suspected offences online at westsussex.gov.uk/tsreport.