Police were called to a village pub after the landlord dressed up as a Nazi for a wartime nostalgia celebration.

Jamie Hardie's SS costume included a swastika armband and – although not illegal in Britain – officers warned him that he could be inciting racial tension.

Organisers of The Yanks are Back in Saddleworth had issued guidelines banning the symbol from the event.

Mr Hardie, of The Granby Arms in Uppermill, said: "I simply hired the gear to give some authenticity to the event. There was nothing sinister about it. We simply dressed up to be part of the whole pageant."

His wife Debbie leads a shoebox campaign that has sent more than 2,000 care packages to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

She said: "Jamie did not intend to upset anyone. I am only sorry someone has seen it this way."

Police inspector Danny Milovanovic: "Police were trying to prevent any potential disorder occurring as a result of this."

Event organiser Paul Higginson said: "This was nothing to do with our show. We have a code of conduct about uniform. "

A spokesman for the costume hire firm, in Huddersfield, Yorks, said: "We hire scores of German uniforms to people who take part in re-enactments. They are very stylish – and people like dressing up. "

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