A primary teacher falsely accused of theft has finally received an apology from the company which sent the police to her house.

Liz Gray, a teacher at Buckhurst Hill Primary school, was shocked when officers came to her home on her birthday.

Although she was not arrested she had to prove that she did not steal £22 worth of fuel from the Shell garage in Epping with bank statements.

Despite the accusations, Mrs Gray, of Willow Close in Buckhurst Hill, received no apology from the company.

After publically demanding a response from the garage, she received a letter yesterday from cashier Muhammed Bilal.

He said: “I am really sorry that you were misidentified by me. And you were right that you did pay for your fuel, and it was someone else who did not pay for his/her fuel.

“I hope you will accept my humble apology.”