A businessman has been fined more than £10,000 for breaching a string of fire safety regulations at a holiday cottage.

Nicholas Eccleston, of Barton Common Lane, New Milton, pleaded guilty to breaching the legislation at Latchmoor cottage on the Rhinefield estate in Brockenhurst in November 2011.

Eccleston was fined a total of £10,750 after admitting charges relating to inadequate fire safety standards at the cottage.

Charges included failure to provide a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, failure to provide an appropriate means for giving the alarm in case of fire, failure to protect the escape routes from the first floor of the premises and failure to ensure that a fire exit door could be easily and immediately opened in an emergency.

The case was brought by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service following an inspection of the property.

A prohibition notice was served with immediate effect to limit the use of the premises.

Eccleston was also ordered to pay costs totalling £3,660 and a victim surcharge of £120.

Speaking after the case, assistant chief officer Neil Odin, pictured, head of community safety for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This case clearly demonstrates that we will apply the law to help ensure the safety of our community.

“We work closely with businesses to help them with their duty to comply under the regulatory reform fire safety order, but where their responsibilities are not taken seriously the service will always consider prosecution.

“We would like this case to act as a timely reminder to business owners and landlords throughout Hampshire that the fire safety order is in place.

“The safety of the public is our primary concern and should come before profit.

“Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service will continue to utilise all the powers available to us in enforcing fire safety legislation.

“The service believes that today’s verdict, together with the scale of the fine, gives a clear message to members of the business community in Hampshire of the need to be mindful of their duties under fire safety legislation.”

The Daily Echo was unable to contact Mr Eccleston as it went to press.