NORTH Yorkshire County Council has appeared in court charged with an allergy offence in connection with its school meals service.

It is alleged to have provided food that was unfit for human consumption by an individual at Woodthorpe Primary School.

It is being prosecuted by City of York Council.

No county council officer or county councillor attended York Magistrates Court to represent the county council at the case’s first hearing.

On its behalf, barrister Robert Stevenson said the council did not want to indicate its plea at this stage.

The council elected to be tried by a judge and jury.

At a brief hearing, district judge Adrian Lower sent to the case to York Crown Court.

It is expected to have a plea and trial preparation hearing at the higher court on March 9 when it will be expected to enter a plea.

The city council summonsed the county council to court under food safety and hygiene regulations in connection to an incident in September 2018.

The council is charged in its capacity of North Yorkshire Facilities Management, the organisation that provides catering facilities and school meals across North Yorkshire and York.

Woodthorpe Primary School has more than 400 pupils.