HOVE MP Peter Kyle has told of his shock after a camera was alledgedly found underneath sandwiches during private discussions on a visit to the retailer Sports Direct.

He was among six MPs who believed they were secretly recorded during a spot check visit at the firm's controversial warehouse, after they found the device under a stool with a tray of coronation chicken sandwiches on top.

Following a three hour tour of the premises, the six MPs headed for a private room to discuss their impressions, when Redcar MP Anna Turley found the secret camera. Mr Kyle then angrily returned it to the Sports Direct PR man "hovering outside the door". 

An angry Mr Kyle said the firm would be "dragged through the mud again" by the incident.

Describing how the MPs discovered the camera Mr Kyle said: "A lady came in with some sandwiches and we all stopped talking. We noticed she didn't bring the sandwiches to the table, she brought them to a stool nearby.

"She was fiddling around for a bit and we couldn't quite figure it out what she was doing.

"When she left we had a look and she had planted a camera - it was very easy to find.

"She had obviously been told to go in and plant a camera to record our deliberations and we all saw it. It was the most bizarre thing."

MPs only gave an hour's notice that they would visit the Derbyshire site. The committee has investigated working practices at Shirebrook, and MPs wanted to see if promised improvements had been made.

The company, which has around 450 retail outlets, came under the spotlight after a national newspaper investigation uncovered unorthodox and illegal working practices at the warehouse. Among issues raised included staff being kept on the site at Shirebrook after their shifts for body searches, putting them below the legal minimum wage.

Mr Kyle said the issue would now be addressed by the Parliamentary committee. He said: "We knew as we were walking around the building they were watching us and had microphones recording our every word.

"But to do so covertly when we had specifically asked for a room, where we could have a private discussion is an entirely different situation all together.

"Their name is going to be dragged into the mud again by this and it is 100 per cent of their own doing."

Mr Kyle called it a "shame" as the improvements being made would overshadowed by the incident. He added: "It's a shame because there had obviously been effort going into dealing with the problems in Sports Direct, but this weird controlling behaviour they've been accused of with their staff they even did to us.

"From the outset of this enquiry right through to the committee hearing when I interviewed Mike Ashley through to today, all I've tried to do is be constructive in helping a massive company along the pathway to be a great British company."

Sports Direct have not responded to our request for comment.