A street pastor has told how his shock after cops warned him that a bible quote on the back of his campervan could be considered 'hate speech.'

Mick Fleming, 59, was approached by a police officer who commented on his campervan whilst he was a petrol station in Burnley, last Monday (Oct 27).

The street pastor

- who recently gave up all of his belongings and now lives in the van

- has the bible verse John 3:16 on the back of it.

The commonly-quoted verse reads: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that everyone who believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life"."

Mick, founder of charity Church on the Street Ministries, said he was told "the writing could be seen as hate speech in the wrong context"."

Mick, from Burnley, Lancs, said: "I was in the petrol station and a policeman came and tapped me on the shoulder."

"He was a really nice guy, wasn't nasty or anything, and he said ‘a bit of advice – the writing could be seen as hate speech in the wrong context. I am just giving you a heads up'."

"He wasn't there to arrest me, it was just advisory. "

"He said if someone reported it police would investigate, and I could end up in trouble."

"I just thought ‘wow' - I just wondered what people thought… where have we moved to as a country where a bit of Christian scripture on the back of a van can be seen as hateful or spiteful?"

"Maybe society is moving to a place where they don't want faith-based people sat around a table in discussion with them… for me it's an integral message of how real change is possible."

Mick posted a video about the incident on his YouTube channel - Church on the Street Ministries -

and asked viewers for their honest thoughts on the incident.

He also asked if they think the scripture could be deemed as offensive.

He said: "It's just a question out there to people - what do you think about that as a warning or being advised about it."

"I am not going to change it… I have never thought about that being something spiteful or hateful."

"I"

wondered what you thought – do you think people would take offence to that, and if they did, why?"

In the UK, displaying bible verses publicly is generally lawful under freedom of expression.

However, it could cross into illegality if the wording is threatening or intended to stir up hatred against people based on protected characteristics such as religion or sexual orientation.

Laws like the Public Order Act 1986 and the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 aim to prevent this.

One viewer said: "If it ever did happen and someone reported you for displaying John 3:16 on your motorhome, common sense would surely prevail?"

Another said: "There's nothing wrong with the sign, it's all positive, so I don't get why it's a problem. It's not offensive in the slightest."

"Hate speech? It's the complete opposite," wrote another."

"It's love speech. In fact, even the word love sells God's feelings for us so short."

Lancashire Police has been approached for a comment.