Papa John's temporarily CLOSES a branch after worker leaks 'disgusting' pictures showing mouldy food, rat poison on worktops and piles of rubbish

• A Papa John's worker has leaked 'disgusting' photographs from a filthy store 
• Pizza brand has apologised and temporarily closed the Mutley Plain branch
• Pictures shared by the whistle-blowing former employee show mouldy food, a rat trap on a counter and rubbish piled up in a disused food liftA Papa John's worker has leaked 'disgusting' photographs from a filthy kitchen at one of the company's stores - with images showing mouldy food, a rat trap on a counter and rubbish piled up in a disused food lift.

  The pizza brand has since apologised and temporarily closed the Mutley Plain branch in Plymouth, pending an official inspection.

  Pictures shared by the whistle-blowing former employee - who wishes to remain anonymous - also show mould on the ceiling and mounds of waste on the floor. 

  

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  A Papa John's worker has leaked 'disgusting' photographs from a filthy kitchen at one of the company's stores - with images showing mouldy food (pictured), a rat trap on a counter and rubbish piled up in a disused food lift

  

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  The pizza brand has since apologised and temporarily closed the Mutley Plain branch in Plymouth, pending an official inspection. Pictured left, rubbish piled up in a disused food lift, and right, a pigeon in the office

  The ex-worker also made claims the hygiene and general cleanliness standards of the branch were 'absolutely disgusting'.

  However a Papa John's spokesperson has said the 'examples fall far short of what we require' and explained they 'do not represent the store as it is today'.

  It now has new managementthey do not represent the store as it is today. Our own regular inspections identified these challenges when the store was under previous management, and prompt action was taken.'

  The spokesperson added: 'The store now has new management which has addressed those issues, has asked the Environmental Health Officer to inspect the store.

  'And in the meantime has voluntarily closed the store pending an inspection by an external audit provider so that customers can be completely confident that our high standards are being met.'