Yesterday a Muslim refused to enter a cab because the driver had a dog in the front seat.  Islam sees dogs as 'unclean' animals.  Peter Smith, 36 years old, who has driven a cab in Maidstone for the last 12 years says that he takes Rex, a golden labrador, 4 years old, everywhere with him.

"How can anyone call Rex unclean?" he asked the Hate Mail.  "He's always licking himself.  He's got cleaner equipment than I have.  This is England, for crying out loud.  We are a nation of dog lovers.  Anyway, Rex helps me out on the road."

When Ahmed Kahn was asked why he hated dogs so much, he denied the allegation, though he did admit refusing to enter the cab he had ordered.

"It's a guide dog!  The driver cannot see!  The dog barks when he's going to crash.  Are you crazy?"

When it was put to Mr Kahn that if he was to live in this country he should conform to its laws, Mr Kahn became aggitated and started shouting "He's blind!  He shouldn't be on the road.  What sort of crazy man would get into a blind man's cab?"

When asked if he would get into a cab that had a black dog in it, Mr Kahn denied that this was a question of discrimination based on colour.  "The driver is blind!  What has colour got to do with it?  I just don't want to be killed in a car crash with a crazy man."

Local politicians have appealed for calm, whilst condemning Mr Kahn's bigotry against dogs and the visually impaired.