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Nigel Farage fled one of his local pubs today after being confronted by raucous anti-UKIP protesters.

The leader of the controversial party was visibly furious at having Sunday lunch with his wife Kirsten and children Victoria, 15 and Isabelle, 10, interrupted by the loud crowd in fancy dress.

After being pursued to his car, Mr Farage stormed: “I hope these ‘demonstrators’ are proud of themselves.

“My children were so scared by their behaviour that they ran away to hide. These people are scum.”

The protesters had first rallied in Mr Farage’s local, the George and Dragon in Downe, Kent. They then headed to the nearby Queen’s Head, where the Farages were tucking in.

Organiser Dan Glass said the group included migrants, HIV activists, the gay the disabled and breastfeeding mums.

The demonstrators admitted Mr Farage had been chased down the road after pushing through them to get to his motor ... and that some of them had jumped on his car bonnet.

Mr Glass said afterwards: “He was sitting on his own and left on his own. We didn’t see any kids.”

A statement attributed to a witness to the event, and released by the group appeared to solve the riddle.

It read: “As some protesters and the press entered the rear of the pub, I saw a blonde-haired woman leaving with two children....the scene was calm although she seemed very keen to get out of the pub, possibly not wanting them to be identified.

"At no time were any children seen scared or running away.”

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Today’s events capped a miserable week for Mr Farage after one of his most senior politicians was suspended on Thursday night amid allegations of expenses fraud.

Today he vowed to boot Euro MP Janice Atkinson out of the party if she cannot explain why her aide was caught on camera accepting a £3,100 invoice from a restaurant for a UKIP party which actually cost £950.

A second UKIP candidate was suspended on Friday following allegations of harassment at work, while a third resigned hours later after accusing the party of “bullying”.

A fourth UKIP candidate, Victoria Ayling, denies accusations of racism.