A London curry house has been hit with a fine for telling customers it had won a number of awards for its authentic home cooking.

Located in Paddington, the Connoisseurs Indian Tandoori claimed to have been awarded an AA rosette, as well as praise from leading food critics in the Independent, the Times and the Evening Standard.

Believed to have been one of the most striking claims is that it was described as the "best Indian restaurant in London" by the London Evening Standard's food critic Fay Maschler.

Owner Ebad Hussein pleaded guilty to the offences at at Westminster Magistrates' Court, which were brought under the Unfair Trading Regulations Act.

Westminster Council's Brian Connell said: "This was a flagrant act of dishonesty aimed at hoodwinking customers."

Registered nutritionist Carina Norris recently suggested that home cooks can save themselves money on a day-to-day basis by making recipes from scratch, rather than eating out or using pre-prepared meals.