A COUPLE visiting Ludlow were allegedly victims of ‘hate crime’ in the wake of the vote to leave the European Union.

No details are being given of the incident but it has been reported to the police.

It comes along with fears that the ‘leave’ vote has increased the levels of intolerance to people of different national and ethnic backgrounds.

All that Andy Boddington who sits for Ludlow North on Shropshire Council will say is that the incident happened in a pub in the town on June 30.

“A couple were visiting our town as part of a tour of the nice places in this part of the world,” said Andy Boddington.

“I am not going to give details, which I have passed on to the police, but they were subject to a comment along the lines of ‘people like you are not welcome here'.

Andy Boddington said that he did not know if there is a direct link between the alleged incident and the EU Referendum vote.

“Media reports suggest that a minority people feel that the Brexit vote has given them a mandate to abuse people who have migrated here, or were born here but don’t meet some stupid ‘white norm' in their tiny minds,” Andy Boddington said.

“No one should be abused because of the colour of his or her skin or where they were born. No one should be abused for any reason. Not in this town. Not anywhere.

“We are a tolerant town in a tolerant county. We must be a tolerant country.”

Andy Boddington said that it reminded him of an event several years ago.

“Around 15 years ago, I was in a pub in Buckinghamshire on a wet and miserable Sunday afternoon,” he added.

“Beer and wine was flowing freely. A black couple with their son and daughter walked in.

“The landlord shouted ‘We’re closed'. I was stunned. The pub was open for business. To my shame, I said nothing. But the indomitable Irish man next to me shouted: "Landlord, we are all children under God’s sun."

“It was the right thing to say. I’m an atheist but I can sign up to that sentiment, 100 per cent. We are all born as equals and we should all be equal in life.

“The miserably rejected family walked out of that Buckinghamshire pub into a miserable afternoon without a word. I guess they had experienced it so many times before.

“I wondered if that was the case with the couple in Ludlow on Thursday.

“They chose to continue their holiday rather than spend time filing a formal complaint with the police. I had hoped that society had moved on since that ugly incident in Buckinghamshire. In the last few days, I have become to doubt that.”

The leaders of the controlling Conservative group as well as the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Independents on Shropshire Council have issued a statement condemning racism and hate crime.

West Mercia Chief Constable David Shaw said: "While the number of reports that we are receiving does not indicate any cause for concern following the European Union referendum, I would like to stress that every hate crime is one too many.

"Nobody should have to tolerate victimisation because of who they are and I would like to reassure the communities we serve that all reports we receive will be thoroughly and robustly investigated.

"I would strongly encourage anyone who is the victim of such a crime to report it so that we can take action."

If you have been a victim or are witness to a hate crime, please report it by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency. Every report of a hate crime or a hate incident will receive a police response.