A family were thrown out of a West Sussex tea shop because the young children did not want anything to drink.

Phillip Maile has complained to Belinda's, in Tarrant Street, Arundel, after being forced to leave when staff refused to serve his family of four just two coffees.

But Belinda's - described as a "very cute" tearoom in the Japanese online tourist guide, UK Sakura - has dismissed the complaint as "a storm in a teacup".

Mr Maile, 45, of Offington Avenue, Worthing, regularly visits the cafe with wife Vanessa, 37, and children Laura, 14, and Melissa, seven.

He said: "It just makes my blood boil."

The family had been in Arundel town centre when they came to the aid of a pensioner who had fallen and badly hurt himself.

He said: "My wife, who is a nurse, immediately attended the man until the ambulance arrived and saw him safely away.

"We had our two daughters with us and decided we needed a cup of coffee and headed back up to Belinda's, as we had been there often before.

"We sat down at a table to be served and ordered the coffee. The girls were asked if they wanted anything but declined.

"A few minutes later a man came over to ascertain whether anything else was going to be ordered and then proceeded to tell me that he would not allow extra chairs to be taken by our daughters if nothing was going to be ordered by them as well.

"He then invited us to leave, making it quite clear we would have to 'make other arrangements'."

The family reluctantly left and went instead to the nearby Tudor Rose tearooms, where they were served.

Mr Maile said: "If we or the girls had been unruly or disruptive in any way, I could understand a request to leave but this was just outrageous and embarrassing."

The manager of Belinda's, who refused to give his name, said: "We have 40 seats in the restaurant and one has to maximise making money.

"We have people here that, if it's quiet, can sit doing nothing. But generally the idea is for people to buy something. I don't think that's unreasonable.

"Anywhere I have been I have always felt it rude to sit there and have nothing.

"If he'd said 'sorry, my wife's had a shock' I wouldn't have had a problem but there were people standing at the door waiting for a table.

"I'm sorry if he took offence but I think he was expecting a bit much. I don't think I was rude and I wasn't offensive. It's a storm in a teacup."