Last updated 11:50, Thursday, 03 July 2008

An 81-year-old man was arrested after an Asian couple were racially abused in a supermarket row.

The man, from Whitehaven, was said to have become annoyed at the amount of time it took the man and woman to put their goods onto the checkout belt in Whitehaven’s Lidl store, on Tuesday at 4.50pm.

Danny Morris, Lidl administration manager for the region, said that the man started shouting and swearing at them.

Mr Morris said: “One of the staff who was Asian herself asked him to put his stuff on the next till.

“He then left the store with his goods and continued to argue with the couple in the car park.

“Things got quite heated and another customer called the police.”

Police confirmed they were called to the store but said by the time they arrived the Asian couple had left.

They are appealing for them to come forward.

A police spokesman said: “This type of incident will not be tolerated.

“An 81-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence.”

Police held the man at Workington police station. He was later bailed to return to the station on July 19.

Police are appealing for witnesses to call Whitehaven police on 0845 3300 247.