Members of the public attended a kiss-in at a Sainsbury's in Brighton yesterday in protest over a gay couple who were told to leave the store after exchanging a kiss on Saturday.

Hundreds took part in the event and the aisles of the supermarket were full of protesters kissing each other. Crowds headed to the New England Street branch in Brighton around 6pm yesterday and entered the shop around 6.30pm for the demonstration.

The protest was organised by the University of Sussex's student union after student Annabelle Paige and her girlfriend were told to leave Sainsbury's by a security guard who had received a complaint from another customer.

The 22-year-old student told The Times: "I gave her a very brief light kiss, in no way was it like we were standing in the middle of Sainsbury’s making out.

"Out of the blue this security guard comes up to us and says that we can either leave and take it outside or continue our shop without being affectionate – as it was making other customers uncomfortable."

Sainsbury's later apologised for the incident, stating that it should never have happened and offered a donation to charity of Annabelle's choice.

Kiss-in held at Brighton Sainsbury's after lesbian couple thrown out of store