Immigration officers raided a Bangladeshi restaurant and arrested three men for visa violations yesterday evening as diners watched on.

Families were in the middle of their meals when three vans pulled up outside the Waterfall Restaurant and around six uniformed officers made the surprise raid.

The officers marched into the kitchens and led one man wearing chef whites through the busy restaurant and sat him down for questioning.

Another man, wearing a black shirt, was lead into the back of a police van in handcuffs.

Two other men were taken out through the kitchen doors as the officers quizzed them about their legal status in the UK.

Two men, both from Bangladesh, were arrested on visa violations and are now being held in a detaining centre pending their removal from the UK.

The restaurant owner also faces tens of thousands of pounds in fines unless they can prove they carried out the appropriate employment checks.

A spokesman for South Central Home Office Immigration Enforcement said officers were tipped off that there were illegal workers working in the Waterfall Restaurant in Earley.

A 25-year-old man who was working in breach of his visa conditions was arrested by officers and taken away a 22-year-old man, who had overstayed his visa, was also arrested at the scene before being taken away.

A third man, also from Bangladesh, was also arrested but the 37-year-old has been released on immigration bail.

A guest, who was dining in the restaurant when the officers arrived, said: "We saw the officers talking to some of the staff, they seemed a bit on edge.

"We had to wait well over an hour for our food, which is disappointing because we come here a lot and normally the service is very good."

The owner has been served a penalty notice of up to £20,000 for each illegal worker, said the spokesman.

They have to prove that he has the appropriate right to work document checks were carried out, such as providing passports or a Home Office document.

Failing to produce the documents could lead to a penalty of up to £60,000.

A spokesman for the Home Office Immigration Enforcement team said: "Acting on intelligence, officers from the South Central Home Office Immigration Enforcement team visited Waterfall Indian restaurant in Silverdale Road, Reading, at about 6pm on Sunday 5 September. Staff were questioned to establish whether they had the right to live and work in the UK.

"Two men from Bangladesh were arrested. A 25-year-old was working in breach of his visa conditions and a 22-year-old had overstayed his visa. Both men were transferred to immigration detention pending their removal from the UK. A third man, aged 37 and also from Bangladesh, was released on immigration bail.

"The business was served a notice warning that a financial penalty of up to £20,000 per illegal worker arrested will be imposed unless the employer can demonstrate that appropriate right to work document checks were carried out, such as seeing a passport or Home Office document. If proof is not provided, they face a potential penalty of up to £60,000."