Three middle aged women have been thrown out of a royalty themed tearoom in Stanhope, County Durham, for refusing to stand when the national anthem was played.

Anita Atkinson, the owner of the themed establishment, told the Today programme that playing the anthem at 3pm each day is a quirky part of the experience and that customers are not expected to "go against the rules".

Anita explained that people come to the Royal Tearoom "in their hordes" not just because of the theme, but because of the natural beauty of the area.

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