A restaurant boss was furious when a group of awkward diners settled their bill - with 18,000 pennies.

The police became embroiled in the row between Vincenzo Arceri and a firm who had an office party at his Italian restaurant.

The recruitment company said they owed less than the £180 bill Vincenzo presented them with at the end of the night.

So they left Emilio's restaurant in Durham City without paying and he called the police.

Following a call from a sergeant at their local police station the firm, Westray Recruitment, agreed to pay the bill.

But they insisted Vincenzo picked up the cash himself from their offices with a policeman on hand to keep the peace.

He had expected to pocket a cheque - but was greeted with buckets, full to the brim with one pence pieces.

The police officer told Vincenzo he could refuse to accept the payment because the firm were being unreasonable.

But, anxious to put the dispute behind him, he swallowed his pride and carried the buckets out to the car.

Westray Recruitment were unrepentant yesterday but police were angry with their behaviour - and said they had committed the offence of wasting police time.

Vincenzo said: "I am furious at the way this company has behaved, it was unnecessary.

"When we got to their offices they shook the police officer's hand and my own.

"Then they produced these 18,000 pennies as payment for the bill.

"The police officer was livid because he had done his best to settle this dispute amicably.

"I suppose they thought they were being clever by doing this, but they weren't at all.

"I felt embarrassed for the police officer and very angry at my treatment by them."

Maureen Wright, founder and managing director of Westray Recruitment, admitted they had been awkward.

She said: "We paid to quell the possibility of any unpleasantness in our office when Mr Arceri came to collect the money.

"But we paid him in pennies to make life difficult for him."

But Durham police criticised the firm's actions.

A spokesman said: "The officer involved in this case had suggested the company pay Mr Arceri by cheque but they insisted one someone from the restaurant coming to their offices with a police officer.

"Mr Arceri was told by the officer that he could refuse the payment as being unacceptable. But he agreed to accept it.

"Our officer expressed his disappointment to the company representative and told them what they were doing was an insult to himself and the restaurant owner.

"In our view they were wasting police time by making this type of gesture."

Despite the police anger at their actions, the comapny will not face charges.