Supermarket giant Tesco has been fined £500,000 after a ten-year-old boy was electrocuted while reaching for an ice lolly from a freezer.

The company pleaded guilty at Reading Magistrates’ Court to two health and safety offences.

The incident happened in 2017 at its store in Warfield, Berkshire.

Magistrates heard how the boy was reaching into the freezer when he touched a wire exposed by a loose rail.

He suffered a burn and a pain in his chest and leg.

Store records showed the rail was known to be loose.

It had been “fixed” with glue and tape.

A Tesco spokeswoman said:

“This incident should not have happened – as we acknowledged in court, on this occasion we did not meet our high standards when it comes to health and safety.

“We immediately refreshed colleague training on our health and safety and maintenance escalation procedures at this store after the incident took place.”

The £536,000 fine also included costs and a victim’s surcharge.