A COUNCIL has U-turned after telling an Indian food stall owner she could not trade at a St George's Day event as it would be "English themed food only".

Chit Chaat Chai's Tania Rahman, who regularly has her stall in Andover town centre, said she was "hugely shocked" when Salisbury City Council gave its reason for rejecting her application.

She said she was especially "taken aback" as the authority had invited her to apply to trade in the first place.

The council has apologised and said it "never intended to be racist".

The annual St George's Day Festival takes place in Salisbury city centre on Sunday.

Ms Rahman, who is British Bengali, said: "How far does it go? Can only English people attend? Salisbury is one of the most multicultural cities in the country.

"Chicken tikka masala is the nation's favourite dish and St George himself was born in Palestine. I just thought they cannot be serious."

Salisbury City Council said it was "sorry for any offence", and admitted that the email it sent to Ms Rahman was "poorly worded".

It has since invited her to attend the event.

A spokeswoman said the festival's theme was originally "olde worlde traditional English", but the incident has raised some "very interesting points about modern England" which it will "reflect upon" for future events.