'Name and shame' - Echo readers slam pair caught putting hair in their pizza at Sunderland pub

CCTV footage captured at The Peacock on High Street West showed the moment that the pair, who had ordered a pizza, pulled out their own hair and placed it in the food.

The women complained and staff, who believed them to be genuine, offered a refund and free drinks by way of apology. But when they looked at CCTV, they could not believe what they saw.

Speaking to the Echo, Joe Smith, operations director at Pub Culture Ltd, which owns the pub, said he and his staff were "shocked" at the scam and hailed it "detrimental" to a local and hard-working business.

Dozens of you have been getting in touch on social media to share your views on the incident, with many calling for the women to be "named and shamed" for their actions.

Others have argued that they should be "banned for life" after taking advantage of the pub and its team.

Here's how you reacted to the story on the Sunderland Echo Facebook page:

Emma Dover: "Had someone do this when I was waitressing but she was blonde. We all had dark hair and the chefs were bald. Good effort though."

Vicki Milburn: "I feel deeply for the staff. They would have initially have been blamed. In some places staff have to work to tight service targets or risk disciplinary or docked wages. Working in pubs, hotels and restaurants is hard work, usually with minimum wage and involving working when everyone else is having fun. What that pizza pair did was not acceptable. I would love to see them having to work some shifts there and see how funny it is when people pull scams."

Nicolle Mcmahon: "How embarrassing if you can't afford to go out [don't] go out. Simple as that."

Andrea Race: "Show the faces name and shame so they don't do it again."

Gemma Campbell: "Shocking, for the sake of a free meal!"

Trish Robson: "That's so pathetic all for £7."

Kelly Stobbart: "I swear some people. If I owned a place like this, people doing this would be banned for life. No need."

Derrie Clark: "Absolutely disgraceful."

Kat Berry: "I'm convinced some people have been doing this for years. People in service industry work hard and make a lot of effort. They have zero respect for them."

Gary Ablett: "Dregs of society don’t deserve to eat in nice places. Should be banned from city centre restaurants for life."

Victoria Maddison: "Disgusting. We go here all the time. Absolutely love the place. Never felt as welcome anywhere else. The food's fab and the staff even better. The need to be named and shamed."

Mel Naylor: "Some people will stoop at anything I would not dare."

Diana De Paz Anderson: "Some people are unbelievable!"

Elaine Davidson: "Never be amazed at the deceit of some people."

Jessica Norton: "Wonder where else they have done this and got a freebie."