A TAKEAWAY worker has alleged a group of customers tried to racially "humiliate" him and his colleagues before punching his brother in the face.

Giving evidence at York Crown Court, Hassan Hazar claimed the three young men were trying to wind him up. One of the men started throwing pizza on the floor of the Micklegate Takeaway, York, and they were asked to leave.

He alleged that outside he saw one of the group "in a light coloured top" punch his brother Haydar, causing him to fall over.

The prosecution alleges at York Crown Court that Haydar Hazar suffered broken teeth and was also assaulted by a different member of the group.

Earlier, Haydar Hazar, who is Turkish, denied defence suggestions he had made up the racist allegations and that he had attacked the man who had been throwing pizza about and who is alleged to have punched him in the mouth.

"If the shop owner is English, perhaps that would not have happened," he said through an interpreter. "It happened because I am a foreigner."

Thomas Henry Chapman, 23, of East Lea, Topcliffe, Thirsk, denies racially aggravated actual bodily harm by punching Haydar Hazar in the mouth, and an alternative charge of causing non-racially aggravated actual bodily harm.

His barrister Laura Addy showed the jury pictures Chapman alleges show mouth and teeth injuries he suffered that night.

Jack Alan Hunter, 21, of Thirlby, Thirsk, admits assaulting Haydar Hazar, but denies an alternative charge of racially aggravated assault.

Hassan Hazar said he was serving with other staff behind the shop's counter when three men came into the shop at about 2.30am on December 6, 2014, and ordered pizza.

While they waited for their food, the group made fun of the staff, he alleged: "It seemed like they just wanted a fight. They were winding us up.

"They were using racial language. They were trying to humiliate us, basically, insulting us with all sorts of things. They were really using foul language all the time. "

He alleged: "They said this is our country, this is our place".

Both brothers claim they didn't want to start a fight.

The jury have seen CCTV taken inside and outside the takeaway at the lower end of Micklegate.

The trial continues.