A hair salon manageress has escaped a jail sentence – despite "snipping" thousands of pounds off the profits.

Claire Hillier, 36, pocketed £3,500 from The Hair Studio in High Street, Hythe – which had once been owned by her parents.

But after it was sold in June last year , Hillier, of Linden Road, Folkestone was kept on to run the salon by new owner Daniel Howe.

The same month, stylist Hillier helped herself to £354, and then £1,076 in July and another £2,056 in August, Canterbury Crown Court heard.

Prosecutor James Bilsland told Canterbury Crown Court: "One of her duties was to cash up the day’s takings and take them to the bank.

"Mr Howe received information from another member of staff that they believed that she had been taking money out of the till.

"He started to check the entries and realised there was a shortfall."

Hillier then resigned and she was arrested and admitted the theft saying that she was heavily in debt at the time.

Mr Bilsland added: "She said she initially took the money intending to repay but then realised the amount was so much she was never going to be able to repay."

Oliver Kirk, defending, said Hillier had been in hairdressing since she was 13 years old.

"In 2010 she and her partner were working but were struggling to service their debt – which amounted to more than £7,000.

"She realises that this was a serious breach of trust, " he added.

Judge James O’Mahony ordered Hillier to do 150 hours of unpaid work for the community after she pleaded guilty to theft from an employer.

He told her: "I realise that there are a lot of people who are working facing rising debts and costs. I know it is not easy but that is absolutely no excuse for disgraceful dishonesty."