Nigel Farage has branded anti-Ukip protesters "scum" after they invaded a pub where he was having a family lunch.

The party leader was apparently with his wife and two younger children at the Queen's Head in Downe when the incident took place.

Dozens of demonstrators initially went into the George & Dragon, where Mr Farage has previously been pictured having a drink, before realising he was in the other pub nearby.

They are said to have gone into the Queen's Head, chased the Farages out and then jumped on the Ukip leader's car bonnet as he drove away.

Mr Farage said afterwards: "I hope these 'demonstrators' are proud of themselves. My children were so scared by their behaviour that they ran away to hide.

"At the time of writing this a relative has gone to look for them, and they are not yet at home. These people are scum."

Mr Farage's children with current wife Kirsten are Victoria and Isabelle, thought to be aged 15 and 10 respectively. He also has two grown-up children from his previous marriage.

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Staff at the Queen's Head refused to comment on the episode, while the George & Dragon said protesters had initially claimed they were there for a birthday party.

Protest organiser Dan Glass said the group was in fancy dress and included migrants, HIV activists, gay people, disabled people and breastfeeding mums.

The demonstrators said Mr Farage had pushed through to get into his car, and was then chased down the road, with some people jumping on the bonnet of his car.

Ukip is understood to have requested taxpayer-funded security for Mr Farage during the election campaign amid fears that he is regularly being targeted by protesters.

Mr Farage's children are now understood to have been found and returned home.

Responding to reports that Mr Farage's children had fled from the protest, Mr Glass said: "He was sitting on his own and left on his own. We didn't see any kids".

The organisers of the protests later released a statement attributed to "photographer" Mike Kear.

"As some protestors and the press entered the rear of the pub, I saw a blonde haired woman leaving with two children," it said.

"At the time, the scene was calm although she seemed very keen to get out of the pub, possibly not wanting them to be identified. At no time were any children seen to be scared or running away.

"Could this be that Farage is manipulating the truth for his own ends?"

A spokesman for the Met Police said: "Police in Bromley were called to Downe Village at 14:45hrs on Sunday, 22 March following reports of a disturbance.

"Officers attended and spoke to a number of protestors.

"No allegations made."