Aylsham Town Council has been hit with a bill of £200 for pain relief, a new pair of trousers and 'loss of amenity' after a woman fell from a damaged council-owned bench.

It happened on May 19 on a bench outside Aylsham Parish Church when one of its legs gave way and a woman, who was due to go on holiday, fell back and hurt her head.

At last week's council meeting, clerk Sue Lake said the woman had come into the office following the accident and spoken to the now retired council clerk, Mo Anderson-Dunger.

Mrs Lake, who said the woman had torn her trousers while falling from the bench, said: 'Mo asked if she wanted her to get a doctor and she said she was not going to make a claim unless she couldn't go on holiday.

'She then sent a bill asking for £200 for the cost of medicine, new trousers and loss of amenity because although she still went on holiday her head hurt so she didn't look very nice.'

Mrs Lake said the woman, who was to celebrate her 45th wedding anniversary, had not seen a doctor due to a phobia and had got the medicine from a chemist.

The council said it would honour the claim.

The bench has been removed and the council said it would check all council-owned benches regularly.