A father has been banned for life from every Tesco in Britain after being accused of racially abusing two black store guards.

Barry Burgess, from Hove, clashed with guards at the company's store in Portslade last Friday and again on Saturday.

The two guards complained to the police and gave statements after the first incident, which took place in the car park.

Mr Burgess was ordered to leave the store on the second occasion after police were called.

He has been accused of verbally abusing the same guards on both occasions but he denies saying anything at all to them.

On Tuesday he received a letter from Tesco telling him his was banned for life from the store and from every other store in the country.

A Tesco spokeswoman said: "One of the guards in particular felt very intimidated by what happened. It was an unprovoked attack."

Mr Burgess, an unemployed father-of-one, told The Argus he was stunned by the edict and denied the accusation.

Mr Burgess, 38, of Hangleton Way, said: "I didn't say or do anything to the guards. I'm not a racist. What they've done to me is completely out of order.

"I just can't believe it. I did nothing and they are doing this to me. I know there are other stores around but I've always shopped at Tesco and I don't see why I should have to stop."

Mr Burgess said he had not spoken to the guards on the Friday and only looked at them briefly as he walked back to his car with his shopping.

His partner Anita Hartfield was walking a short distance behind him and, he said, he had stopped to wait for her to catch up.

He said the guards were tinkering with a car and he was curious to see what they were doing.

The next day the couple returned to the store.

Tesco said there was another incident but Mr Burgess again said no words were exchanged.

He said the first time he realised something was wrong was when he was told to leave by police officers.

The Tesco spokeswoman said both of the guards had been with the company for some time and had exemplary work records.