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A personal trainer working at a Huddersfield fitness centre claims he was told to leave – after complaining about the smell of frying bacon wafting into the gym when he was taking sessions.

Ehsan Bakhshi, known to his clients as Sam, claims he had complained about restaurant staff at Total Fitness in Waterloo frying bacon at 6am while he was leading fitness training – but says he was to be told that nobody else had complained and that he should leave.

Sam, 32, said: “Everyone in the gym found the smell really irritating. They didn’t know who to complain to, so they complained to me. I was complaining on their behalf.”

Now an online petition has been launched on Facebook demanding bosses reinstate Sam, who has trained at Total Fitness for 11 years and worked there as a freelance personal trainer for the past two years.

However, an email sent to Sam by a manager at Total Fitness said he had been dismissed for gross misconduct having approached members of staff and “verbally abused” them, making them feel “uncomfortable and threatened.”

It said: “This is not acceptable behaviour and I deem this to be gross misconduct on your behalf within your capacity as a self-employed personal trainer within Total Fitness Huddersfield.”

Supporters said Sam had previously complained about problems with gym equipment, the condition of the staff room and water temperature in the fitness centre pools – but that his only motive for doing so was to offer a good service to his clients.

A letter drafted by one of his supporters and sent to management at the gym said: “We as a group in Total Fitness Huddersfield feel his dismissal was unfair and unrequired.

“Sam is an exceptional person and a fantastic trainer. His desire to help his clients and also make the gym a great fun place to be was amazing.”

More than 200 people have signed the petition “to get him back into the gym and helping people where he belongs.”

Sam, who lives at Waterloo, paid £550 a month to use the fitness suite for his own use and to train clients.

He said the gym had been a big part of his social and work life, adding: “I work hard and I try to be helpful. Now I feel like I have been kicked out of my home.”

Total Fitness was asked to comment but did not respond.