Leona Lewis in shop race row

Leona Lewis has spoken of how she and her father faced a barrage of racist slurs as they were ordered out of a shop in London.

The former X Factor winner and her dad Joe - who is from Guyana - were shopping together when a female assistant in the store began to hurl abuse at them.

Leona had been picking out photo frames while her father was outside talking on his phone - but trouble flared when he joined her in the shop and picked up an item, asking her if she liked it.

"I went up to the till and asked how much it cost," Leona told the News Of The World. "But the woman told us to get out.

"I couldn't believe it. I asked what she meant and she said, 'I don't like the look of him'. Pointing at my dad, she said, 'He's been standing outside my shop and I want him to go right now. I know why you're coming in here'."

Leona admits she was furious at the assistant's suggestion they planned to shoplift - which could not have been further from the truth.

"She came up to my face, shouting, 'Get out or I'm calling the police'," the singer said.

"It was disgusting. I just couldn't believe someone was shouting at me in front of so many people.

"I was crying and bawling. I said, 'No. I'll call the police. This is racism'."

The 24-year-old added she had "never experienced anything like that. Being judged by the colour of your skin is horrible," she said.

Leona is still recovering following an incident two weeks ago when she was punched by a crazed fan at a book signing in London.