A man has been arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence just hours after a group of men disturbed prayers at a mosque in Gillingham.

A group of men allegedly went into McDoodys in Gillingham Road, Gillingham, and started throwing tables and chairs and shouting insults at staff at around 6.30pm.

A man, in his 40s, has been released on bail until June 24.

Nabil Mughal, who works in McDoodys, said: “I was in Margate with my family when I got a call to say the shop was getting attacked."

Mr Mughal, from Rainham, claims the group were shouting racial slurs.

The 20-year-old said nothing in the restaurant had been badly damaged but claims staff were left terrified by the incident.

A police spokesman confirmed officers had been called to restaurant to reports of a disturbance.

The spokesman said: “A man aged in his 40s was arrested on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence. He is currently in police custody.”

Earlier in the afternoon police were called to the Gillingham Mosque in Canterbury Street after a group of men, one holding a sign saying ‘we love Manchester’, disturbed prayers.

McDoodys is open as usual after the reported incident.