The landlady of an Austrian-style pub is to fight legislation which bans her from selling drinks in traditional one-litre stein glasses.

Trading standards officials ordered Austrian-born Andrea Schultz to replace the steins, at the Cardinal's Hat pub in Worcester, with traditional pint glasses.

Mrs Schultz had until Monday to comply with the rules, which say beer must be sold in imperial pint and half-pint measures, but she has refused.

She may now face prosecution for not complying with the law.

Customer choice

The rules for drinks poured from a pump differ from the majority of goods, which have to be served in metric quantities to comply with European legislation.

Flutes and steins are integral to the flavour of Austrian beer

Andrea Schultz

Mrs Schultz, who sells beer in both imperial and metric measures, says her customers should not be denied the freedom of choice.

She insists: "Flutes and steins are integral to the flavour of Austrian beer and we've now collected around 1,200 signatures in three weeks from customers who want to keep them."

Mrs Schultz has also won the backing of groups including the so-called 'metric martyrs', who are fighting to keep their right to sell food in Britain in imperial measurements.

She says Liberty and Livelihood and the British Weights and Measures Association have also expressed their support, while Austrian MEPs in Brussels and officials at the British Embassy in Vienna have been informed of her fight with British law.

Trading standards officials in Worcester said they had not yet decided what action to take and would not comment further.