Black face-paint Morris dancers heckled in Birmingham Published duration 9 January 2017

media caption Morris dancers accused of 'mocking black people'

A group of Morris dancers abandoned a performance in Birmingham city centre after being heckled for their use of black face paint.

The dancers, from Alvechurch in Worcestershire, were accused of being racist because some of their members' faces had been blackened.

One man filmed himself confronting them as they performed near the Bullring.

The Alvechurch Morris dancer group has not commented on the incident.

image caption The use of black face make-up by Morris dancers, such as this group seen performing in Whitby, has become an issue for several groups across the country

The use of black face make-up by Morris dancers has become a controversial issue, with Shrewsbury Folk Festival banning the practice after receiving complaints

Supporters, however, say the practice dates back centuries and is not linked to race.