NORTH YORKSHIE'S Chief Constable found a way round the law when she shed part of her uniform in order to buy wine in a supermarket.

Shop staff in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, told Chief Constable Della Cannings they were not allowed to sell alcohol to on-duty police officers.

But they relented after Ms Cannings took off her hat and epaulettes and said she was no longer on-duty.

A spokesman for Tesco supermarket today confirmed that staff at the store refused to sell alcohol to Ms Cannings under Section 178 of the Licensing Act 1964, which forbids the serving of alcohol or refreshments to an on-duty police officer.

He said: "We challenged the police officer and she removed her hat and her epaulettes and so was, therefore, no longer technically on-duty and was allowed to buy the alcohol."

He said staff were right to refuse the sale under the law - which is set to be repealed next year when the Licensing Act 2003 comes into force.

"It's something that happens rarely so it shows our checkout operators are on the ball when it comes to these kinds of issues," he said.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The whole incident was resolved satisfactorily and the chief constable does not wish to make any further comment."

The incident comes only months after Constable Dougie Brown was refused a sausage roll under the same law at a Co-op store in Nettleham, near Lincoln.

Updated: 10:43 Friday, March 26, 2004