A UK man has been left "shocked" after a hotel he checked into with his teenage daughter called the police - to report him as a paedophile.

Widower Craig Darwell, 46, was treating Millie, 13, to a trip to Thorpe Park, an amusement park in Surrey.

They checked into the hotel near the theme park in Chertsey.

But after Mr Darwell returned to the hotel after moving his car, a manager demanded he prove himself to be Millie's dad.

"I couldn't believe it. Millie and I have stayed in lots of places over the years and this has never happened to me before" Mr Darwell told The Sun.

Mr Darwell's wife died of Leukaemia when Millie was four. He told the newspaper that during Millie's upbringing, they had stayed in many places together "and this has never happened to me before".

'I couldn't believe it"

The manager said it was "company policy" for Mr Darwell to go on Facebook and show the messages he had sent to his daughter in the past. "

"It was bizarre and really offensive. Then he told me that he'd already called police so I had to wait for them to arrive."

Mr Darwell said it took about "two seconds" for the police to realise a mistake had been made, but the experience "ruined his weekend".

A police spokesperson said: "Police were called by a member of staff at the Travelodge in Chertsey on Thursday 30 March just after 8pm following a concern for safety.

"Officers attended and made no arrests, no further enquiries will take place.

"Hotels, taxi companies and other licensed premises' have recently been equipped with the right knowledge to identify children who could be at risk of exploitation under Operation Makesafe."

Newshub.