Pc banned from buying snack

The staff were told not to sell food to on-duty policemen

A hungry policeman was banned by shop staff from buying a sausage roll - under a law forbidding sale of refreshments for officers on duty.

Staff at a Co-op shop in Nettleham in Lincolnshire refused to serve Pc Dougie Brown and told him about a section of the Licensing Act which forbids the sale of alcohol or refreshments to on-duty police officers.

The act says police must have "consent of a superior officer" first.

We feel very embarrassed about the situation but the staff followed the letter of the law Kevin Cook, Chief Executive Officer for the Lincoln Cooperative Society

Lincolnshire Police said the shop was right to uphold the 1964 Licensing Act but the force does encourage officers to mix in with their local communities.

The statement went on: "Constable Brown was very embarrassed at finding himself in this situation at the head of quite a substantial queue in the shop.

"We have spoken to the local Co-operative Society and are working towards resolving the apparent conflict between their needs and ours, in an amicable way."

Chief executive of the Lincoln Co-operative Society Kevin Cook said: "We feel very embarrassed about the situation but the staff followed the letter of the law, as we would expect them to do.

"The legislation is due to change anyway this year. It seems nonsensical at the moment and is very, very embarrassing."