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A teenager is to stand trial for feeding her McDonald's fries to a pigeon.

Lauren Paige Smith admits tossing a couple of fries to the birds in Swansea's Castle Square while she was on her lunch break - but says she was not littering.

The 19-year-old appeared at Swansea Magistrates Court today after refusing to pay a fine handed out by a local authority warden on July 8.

(Image: SWNS.com)

Smith, who was unrepresented in court, initially said she was not going to enter a plea to a charge of littering as she believed no crime had been committed.

The court entered a not guilty plea on her behalf.

(Image: SWNS.com)

Felicity Lewis, prosecuting for the local authority, said Smith was seen by a litter enforcement officer at lunchtime on July 8 throwing fries to the floor outside the McDonald's restaurant on Castle Square. She said the warden approached her, identified himself, and issued a fixed notice penalty for littering.

Smith, of Greenway Road in Rumney, Cardiff, told the court she had been with her friends on a lunch break from work when the offence is said to have happened - she described herself as "animal-friendly" and said she was feeding the last of her fries to the birds, and was not littering.

(Image: SWNS.com)

The court was shown footage from the officer's body-cam - which the defendant had not had opportunity to view before the hearing started - which showed the encounter between the warden and the defendant.

District judge Neale Thomas asked the council's solicitor whether the local authority intended to proceed with the prosecution - the lawyer replied yes.

A trial date was set for November 29 when witnesses - including colleagues of Smith and the warden who issued the fine - will give evidence.