A SHOPKEEPER has denied swindling customers who booked £186,000 worth of holidays through her.

Susan Lee, aged 58, allegedly took payments from 28 clients for trips abroad and in Britain over a period of five years but did not arrange the holidays.

She will face a trial at Exeter Crown Court in April next year after denying that she made false representations to customers.

Lee, of Okehampton, pleaded not guilty to a single count of fraud which alleges that between October 31, 2010 and October 1, 2015 she dishonestly purported to be in a position to sell holidays.

Judge Robert Linford adjourned the case for trial and set a timetable for the exchange of prosecution and defence papers.

Miss Nikki Coombe, defending, said Lee failed to attend a previous hearing because she had been signed off sick by her doctor with depression and stress.

She denied that Lee had been helping to run a shop in Okehampton on the day of the hearing and said she had just been passing through when she was seen there by police.