A police force launched an investigation after a man claimed he had been the victim of a hate crime when a branch of the Post Office refused to accept his Scottish bank note.

Kent Police were called out earlier this month when 48-year-old Patrick Burgess accused postal staff of racism.

He claimed the post office worker's refusal to accept the note amounted to a hate crime because it was based on nationality.

Mr Burgess was born and brought up in Scotland, but speaks with an English accent.

An officer was asked to investigate the claim and it has been recorded for official purposes as a hate crime, which will feed into national statistics.

The incident occurred on November 22 in the village of Walderslade near Chatham when Mr Burgess, who works for the Royal Mail, visited his local Post Office with his 12-year-old son, Daniel.