A motorbike instructor has slammed a garage for 'racism' after he was allegedly told to remove his open face helmet - while a woman in a burka filled up next to him.

Liam Bradley, 48, claims he was filling up his bike at the Shell garage at the Three Arches Spar shop in Blackburn, Lancashire, on Wednesday when a message appeared on the LCD screen demanding he remove his helmet.

Despite being annoyed that his face was showing as he wore an open face helmet and having used the station 'hundreds' of times, Liam obliged.

However the instructor was left furious when he realised a lady in a burka was allegedly being allowed to fill up unchallenged at the same time.

Liam Bradley (pictured), 48, was left outraged after a garage allegedly told him to remove his open face helmet - all while a woman in a burka filled up next to him

Taking to Facebook to vent his frustration, Liam branded the different treatment as 'racism at work in Britain', urging people to share it so as to not 'let them get away with it'

Taking to Facebook to vent his frustration, Liam branded the different treatment as 'racism at work in Britain', urging people to share it so as to not 'let them get away with it'.

The post quickly went viral with more than 6,000 likes, comments and shares.

The shop to which the Shell garage is attached have claimed they believe the woman was wearing a hijab - which is open face in the same way that Liam's helmet is - however both Shell and Spar have yet to comment on the row.

Liam said: 'It was just by chance [that the debate regarding burkas was going on at the moment].

'It just annoyed me basically. The main reason it annoyed me is because it is a petrol station I've used hundreds of times because we work in the area.

'I had an open face helmet so people could see my identity. The lady behind the till has served me on hundreds of occasions.

Liam, who was riding his Yamaha Tracer 900 bike, claims it was the first time he has ever been asked to remove his helmet

The shop (pictured) to which the Shell garage is attached have claimed they believe the woman was wearing a hijab

'And yet there was a lady there wearing a burka filling up.

'I could understand it if I was there with a full face helmet on, on a dodgy looking bike, sat there on the back with the engine running while filling up - could totally understand that.

'But not when I have put thousands of pounds through that station over the years. I have not been asked to remove my helmet before.'

Liam, who was riding his Yamaha Tracer 900 bike, claims it was the first time he has ever been asked to remove his helmet while filling up in all his three years as an instructor.

After the years of loyal custom to the garage, Liam claims he and his other instructors will now be buying their petrol elsewhere.

After years of loyal custom to the garage, Liam claims he and his other instructors (pictured) will now be buying their petrol elsewhere

Liam said: 'I don't want to pursue it any further but I won't be returning to that garage again.'

Liam's post sparked a heated debate over whether the garage's request was racist or not, which he refused to be drawn into.

His original post read: 'Bikers avoid Three Arches Shell filling station Blackburn.

'Told to remove my helmet when filling mine and students bikes. I was wearing a flip front white helmet in the up position and my company name all over mine & students hi viz jackets.

'Mean while an Asian wearing a burka was allowed to fill up her car.

'Racism at work in Britain. Please share this. Don't let them get away with it.'

Shell has declined to comment about the incident when approached by MailOnline.