Food hygiene inspections in the UK have fallen by 15% since 2003, research shows - with experts warning of risks to public health.

The number of inspections, which are handled by local authorities, fell from 307,526 in 2003-04 to 260,765 in 2014-15, the study found.

The Food Standards Agency watchdog said the situation was of "growing concern".

The Local Government Association said councils "work extremely hard" on food safety despite budgetary pressures.

Ministers said public safety was "paramount" and the "majority of local authorities have continued to balance their budgets and increased or maintained public satisfaction with services".

'Kept away'

The figures, obtained by Prof Steve Tombs for the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, using freedom of information requests to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), show almost 47,000 fewer inspections were carried out in 2014 than in 2003.

The number of establishments prosecuted also fell by 35%, from 552 to 361, over the same period.

Prof Tombs, who is professor of criminology at the Open University, said "policymakers need to urgently address the radical reduction in local authority inspections and enforcement."

Food Safety Inspections

?Food premises are rated from "0" - meaning urgent improvement is required - to "5", meaning hygiene standards are very good
?These scores are based on inspections by officers from the local authority
?They look at how food is prepared and cooked, as well as reheating, cooling and storage
?They also look at the condition of the building and what the management are doing to make sure food is safe
?Gaps between inspections are based on a risk assessment
?Category A premises should be inspected at least every six months
?Category E businesses - such as off-licences - need to be assessed only every three years

The BBC's 5 live Investigates programme has seen minutes of an FSA board meeting from January this year where concerns were raised over rising numbers of complaints and falling staffing levels.

"The overall position is one of growing concern," the agency warned.

"At a local level, there are a good number of authorities which are struggling to undertake interventions of food businesses at the required frequencies."

The minutes also state that many local authorities "are not able to deliver a food service as set out in statutory Food Law Code of Practice".

"We are also acutely aware that local authority resources, particularly in England, will face further significant reductions over the next few years," the minutes show.

Since 1 April 2015 Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has had responsibility for food safety and food standards in Scotland.

'Less time'

A number of environmental health officers spoke anonymously to 5 live Investigates.

"We're doing fewer inspections now," one said. "There are a lot of places where years ago I would have definitely gone back for a revisit - quite often now I won't have time."

Another said: "The number of food poisoning incidents has been going up.

"You have fewer officers trying to do more inspections; which means we have less time when we go into a place."