A tourist was arrested after wearing a skimpy string bikini to a beach in the Philippines.

Lin Tzu Ting, 26, was on holiday with her boyfriend, both from Taiwan, when she wore the revealing garment on the popular Boracay island.

Staff at the holidaymaker's hotel warned her last Wednesday (October 9) to change her clothes when they saw her going to the beach - but she ignored them.

The young woman wore the same white bikini the next day, walking along the sand hand-in-hand with her partner.

But shocked locals called the police who arrived and arrested Lin. They made her wear shorts and a t-shirt before she was bundled into a police truck and taken to the station.

Lin told the police her bikini was a ''form of art'' and ''personal expression'' while her boyfriend said it was ''normal in our country'' and that the clothing was a way for his partner to ''to express herself with confidence''.

Officers did not accept the defense and fined Lin 2,500 Philippine Peso (£38.30) which she was told she had to pay before she could leave the island as planned on October 11.

Natividad Bernardino, head of the Boracay Inter-Agency Management and Rehabilitation Group (BIAMRG), said: ''Foreign tourists should observe proper decorum as a form of respect for Philippine culture and tradition.

''We have our own cultural values as Filipinos and Asians. They should be able to respect that. There is no dress code but it is just common sense.

''They were told not to by the hotel management, but they said it was a form of art.''

Major Jess Baylon, police chief of the island's Malay station, said the tourist was fined PHP2,500 for ''display of erotic and lewd picture''.

Jess said the bikini was ''literally just a piece of string''.

She added: ''Her boyfriend said 'It’s quite normal for us in our country and that was her way to express herself with confidence'.

''But their customs and traditions are not the same in our country. They have to respect our culture and tradition, and our proper decorum.

The Taiwanese couple are understood to have left Boracay Island last Friday (October 11) afternoon.

Police have now urged hotel and resort owners in the area to tell their guests about clothing and behaviour.

A tourist was arrested after wearing a skimpy string bikini to a beach in the Philippines.

Lin Tzu Ting, 26, was on holiday with her boyfriend, both from Taiwan, when she wore the revealing garment on the popular Boracay island.

Staff at the holidaymaker's hotel warned her last Wednesday (9/10) to change her clothes when they saw her going to the beach - but she ignored them.

The young woman wore the same white bikini the next day, walking along the sand hand-in-hand with her partner.

But shocked locals called police who arrived and arrested Lin. They made her wear shorts and a t-shirt before she was bundled her into a police truck and taken to the station.

Lin told the police her bikini was a ''form of art'' and ''personal expression'' while her boyfriend said it was ''normal in our country'' and that the clothing was a way for his partner to ''to express herself with confidence''.

Officers did not accept the defence and fined Lin 2,500 Philippine Peso (£38.30) which she was told she had to pay before she could leave the island as planned on October 11.

Natividad Bernardino, head of the Boracay Inter-Agency Management and Rehabilitation Group (BIAMRG), said: ''Foreign tourists should observe proper decorum as a form of respect for Philippine culture and tradition.

''We have our own cultural values as Filipinos and Asians. They should be able to respect that. There is no dress code but it is just common sense.

''They were told not to by the hotel management, but they said it was a form of art.''

Major Jess Baylon, police chief of the island's Malay station, said the tourist was fined PHP2,500 for ''display of erotic and lewd picture''.

Jess said the bikini was ''literally just a piece of string''.

She added: ''Her boyfriend said 'It’s quite normal for us in our country and that was her way to express herself with confidence'.

''But their customs and traditions are not the same in our country. They have to respect our culture and tradition, and our proper decorum.

The Taiwanese couple are understood to have left Boracay Island last Friday (11/10) afternoon.

Police have now urged hotel and resort owners in the area to tell their guests about clothing and behaviour.