A woman who drank a beer in a Chinese restaurant and then left without paying has been told to pay the cost of the drink.

The 52-year-old woman, who has not been named, entered the Zumi Chinese restaurant in Southbroom Road at around 8.15pm on Tuesday, January 14, and asked to buy food, offering to pay for it by cheque.

The restaurant staff said they could not accept a cheque, but the woman sat down anyway and ordered a beer and food.

But when the beer arrived she drank it and walked out, police said.

Inspector Matt Armstrong, of Devizes police, said: “The woman was known to us and the matter was dealt with by a community resolution.

“She was told she would be required to pay the £3.20 cost of the beer.”