A pensioner was fined £80 after pouring a cup of coffee she did not like the taste of down a drain.

Sue Peckitt purchased the beverage in New Broadway, Ealing , but decided to dispose of the hot drink after being disappointed by the taste.

The 65-year-old Hanwell resident poured the liquid down a drain near the Ealing Broadway Centre, before putting the cup in a nearby bin.

But to her amazement, three enforcement officers from the council followed her to the bin and gave her an on-the-spot fine of £80 for littering.

Miss Peckitt, a retired civil servant who moved to Ealing 33 years ago, said: "I had bought a cup of coffee, it wasn't very nice and I thought I want to get rid of this.

"So I poured it down the drain and then I started to walk to the bin to put the cup in the bin.

"The enforcement officers stopped me and said I was breaking the law, then I filled in all the forms and they fined me £80.

"I am astonished by the whole process.

"I think there is a big problem with litter but it is bizarre, I had put this coffee down (the drain) because it was the safe and environmentally friendly thing to do.

"The reason I didn't dispose of the cup and the liquid in the bin was that I didn't want to turn the contents of the bin into a soggy mess."

Sue Peckitt said she was "delighted" that she will be refunded the fine

Following the fine which was handed to her in November last year, she was unsuccessful in an appeal to have it revoked.

However, after getwestlondon approached Ealing Council for comment on Thursday (January 12) it replied today (Friday January 13) saying the fine will be refunded.

A council spokesman said: "The council has investigated this particular case and will be dropping the fine originally issued.

"Our priority is to make sure that the borough is clean and litter free and we apologise for any inconvenience that this may have caused."

Miss Peckitt poured the coffee down a drain outside Ealing Broadway Centre

The fine's receipt from the council last year read: "Did drop leave and walk away from coffee diwn (sic) the drain."

Miss Peckitt said she was "delighted" the council said it would give her a refund, but at the time of publication she added the council had not contacted her to either apologise or arrange the refund.

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