A 74-year-old Herefordshire woman has denied a Covid face-covering breach or saying that the disease just affected "fat people who can't handle the flu".

Amanda Salmon appeared before magistrates in Worcester yesterday (Wednesday) where she denied entering or remaining within a shop without wearing a face covering in an alleged breach of Health Protection Regulations 2020.

Salmon of Mynde Cottages, Much Dewchurch, near Hereford, was said by the prosecution to be one of two women in the the Apothecary Shop, The Homend, Ledbury, on February 16 this year.

Andy Saunders, prosecuting, gave a brief outline of the case which is summary-only and so can only be dealt with at magistrates court, not crown court.

He said an officer alleged Salmon had said: "Covid is just fat people who can't handle flu."

But Salmon denied saying this, describing the allegation as 'nonsense'.

The trial date was set down for December 13 at Worcester Magistrates Court.