A man who bet on the colour of the Queen's hat is furious after a Canterbury bookmaker shop refused to pay out when he won.

Builder Mark Tunbridge gambled £50 that the Queen would wear white during Royal Ascot and was given odds of 10-1 at Coral in St Dunstan's Street.

But when the 51-year-old returned later that day to collect his winnings, he was told the odds he had been given were wrong. He was then offered odds of evens for his winning bet, giving him just £100 instead of the £550 he believes he is due.

Mr Tunbridge said: "It's ridiculous they are not honouring a bet.

"It's not about the money any more. Obviously that would be nice, but it's about the principle.

"How am I supposed to know that the odds they have given me are wrong? I saw odds of 10-1 and made the bet.

"The woman behind the counter checked with the manager she was all right to take the bet.

"Coral would also have made a killing that day because the favourite in the main race didn't run. This is just downright rude."

Mark, who lives off Ramsgate Road in Margate, placed the bet on June 21 during the world-famous race meeting at the Berkshire course.

Coral spokesman David Stevens insisted the money would not be paid out.

He said: "We are aware there was an issue with the incorrect odds being shown.

"It was a clear error on our behalf and for that we apologise. But our rules are quite clear on this and the correct odds in this case were evens, which would have been shown as 1/1, but instead they were shown as 10/1.

"If Mr Tunbridge wants, he can take his case to the Independent Betting Adjudication Service and we will be bound by their decision.

"However, this was a case where the wrong odds were shown."