Bosses at an historic hotel in a seaside village have promised to 'bounce back' after being hit with a zero food hygiene rating.

The Royal Hotel in Mundesley on the north Norfolk coast was branded with the rating by an inspector from North Norfolk District Council.

The hotel in Paston Road was rated a four at its last inspection about 18 months ago.

The latest rating found that major improvements were necessary in the categories of cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, and management of food safety. Improvement was also necessary in the hygienic food handling category.

Manager Ken Fotis accepted the findings but said they were 'slightly harsh'.

He added: 'I appreciate that it paints us in a bad light but we will get back on top and bounce back.

'The sad part of it is, is that the ratings are so much clerical and paperwork-based. People won't understand that. They will think it's to do with food hygiene. We did not fill out the paperwork in-depth enough, so we have hours of paperwork to do.'

The firm has about three weeks to re-apply for a new rating.

Mr Fotis added: 'We are working closely with the council to rectify all the concerns.'

The rating found they had not written down procedures in place to ensure food safety. They were also told to provide correct allergen information about the ingredients used in food.

And the inspector added: 'The standard of cleaning to the structure of the kitchen was unacceptable. Floors, walls, ceiling, hand-wash basin, fixtures and fittings throughout the kitchen and storage areas were found to be in a dirty condition.'

The Fotis family have run the Mundesley Royal for 36 years, and started a £1.5 revamp of the business in 2015. The work includes a new function suite, coffee bar and refreshed bedrooms.

The Royal dates back 400 years to when it was a coaching inn, whose overnight guests included a young Lord Nelson.

The hotel was the New Inn in its early days when Nelson stayed during his time studying at Paston school in nearby North Walsham.