Staff at a village shop have been the target of racist abuse after refusing to serve customers not wearing masks.

Employees say they have been sworn at and threatened by people ignoring pleas to cover their faces on about 20 occasions since restrictions were lifted on July 19 .

The owner of Bridgeway Stores, in Bridge, Kent, was previously told by louts that they would burn the business down and even kill him following disputes over social-distancing and mask-wearing.

CCTV of one incident shows a basket being thrown at owner Ranjit Dhaliwal by a man refused entry for not wearing a mask.

Another member of staff at the store has been told to “go back to your own country”.

Mr Dhaliwal said: “Someone called me the P-word last Monday because I said we don’t allow people into the shop without a face mask.

“We’ve had lots of issues. A member of staff was told on Saturday to go back to her country as well.

“People have thrown stuff and sworn at staff. It’s mostly youngsters between 18 and 35 refusing to wear masks.

“Younger people walk in thinking they don’t need to wear a mask and say we’re breaking the law asking them to wear one.”

Government guidance introduced on July 19 states there is no longer a legal requirement to wear masks in some indoor settings such as shops and pubs.

However, it recommends people should use them in crowded and enclosed spaces in which they come into contact with strangers or others they do not usually meet.

While it says residents should use their judgement in deciding whether to don a mask, the guidance adds that businesses can ask their employees and customers to cover their faces.

But doing so has left staff at Bridgeway subjected to a number of unsavoury incidents.

Police have launched a probe into one reported shortly before 3pm last Monday, during which it was alleged a man threw a basket at an employee and shouted racist abuse.

They are also investigating reports a man shouted abuse at a worker inside the premises at about 4.15pm on Saturday, July 24.

Bridgeway employee Steve Fawke, 58, added: “We’re getting abused every day.

“I’ve had fruit cartons thrown at me and my colleagues have had similar. We shouldn’t have to come to work and get abused the way we are.”

As well as urging customers to cover their faces, he is also limiting the number of people allowed inside the store.

He said: “We have elderly people coming into the shop and we’re just trying to keep them safe.

"Over the last year and a half, not a single member of staff here has had Covid.

“We’re a private organisation and have the right of refusal.

“The disease hasn’t left - it’s still there, whether or not we’ve been jabbed.”

Speaking of the latest abuse his wife suffered in the shop just yesterday (Mon), the former police special constable, said : "I'm really furious, this latest incident happened yesterday [Mon].

"This guy said he was going to come back and burn the shop down and started making stupid remarks like that. It left my wife in tears about it.

"It didn't make sense because he was wearing his work uniform with his company name on and we have his number plate too.

"If we start letting people come in without face masks, if somebody who is asymptomatic coughs or sneezes, these people that say they are exempt are the ones who are going to cop it because their immune systems are lower.

"This is a small, enclosed shop, the virus is airborne so if some has the virus and comes in without realising it's a danger to everyone.

"We are just trying to protect all our customers, the anti-maskers say we're breaking the law, but we're a private enterprise and the prime minister says we have to take responsibility ourselves, so that's what I'm doing for my business, staff and customers."

Mr Dhaliwal said he and his employees have suffered racist abuse in the past, but he has not reported it to police.

He added: "We have had the odd person swearing and using racial slurs before, but I didn't want to bother the police about it.

"What I really won't stand for is when they say they will come back and burn the store down and start swearing in front of children."

While enforcing these rules in his store, Mr Dhaliwal has come under fire himself and been branded a hypocrite for not wearing a mask at all times.

In one clip, a customer storms out after challenging the shop owner for not covering his face.

Mr Dhaliwal says on that occasion he forgot to put one on as he walked into the business from a separate room.

A police spokesman confirmed officers are investigating two reports relating to incidents at the shop.

*Video filmed 24th July 2021.