'Hollyoaks' actor in costume hire row

Hollyoaks star Stephen Beard has become embroiled in a row with a Liverpool shop over a Nazi costume.

The 20-year-old actor, who plays Archie Carpenter in the Channel 4 soap, hired a replica SS uniform from fancy dress store Lili Bizarre three months ago for a "non-politically correct party" in Leeds.

Beard then reportedly failed to return the outfit on time and is believed to be refusing to pay an extra £180 charge which the shop claims he owes.

Store co-owner Gary Wakefield told the Liverpool Echo: "He hired the costume from us on September 22 and it was due back the next day. He did not bring it back so I made numerous phone calls. He said he did not have the boots but agreed to return the uniform. Then he stopped taking our calls. It is really popular and we needed it back for Halloween. I could hire it out another 10 or 20 times."

Confirming that he eventually contacted Hollyoaks' production company Lime Pictures over the dispute, Wakefield continued: "I warned them I was going to take legal action against him if I did not get my costume back. He contacted me straight away and agreed to bring it the next day. But he came in with a letter which said he was not prepared to pay the full £180 charge, which was the extra hire at £5 per day."

Defending his conduct, Beard insisted: "It was below the belt to get me into trouble at work, it was a personal matter. I forgot to return the outfit for the first few days, like a lot of people do. The boots were in Leeds and I was working in Liverpool.

"His response was if he didn't get the boots back I would lose my £100 deposit, which was fair enough. I handed him the letter last month, which said I would return the outfit but I was not going to pay the outstanding fine, and I said I would await his response. I would like him to call me again so we can talk about this matter."

Beard has been a member of the Hollyoaks cast for over a year. His character is the brother of troubled Zoe Carpenter, played by Zoë Lister.