The TUC says that black and Asian workers are having to face "appalling" levels of verbal and physical racial abuse, ranging from unfair sackings to death threats.

According to an ITN report the TUC has called for urgent action by the government to combat racism in the workplace.

The call comes after analysis of 450 telephone calls to a TUC helpline last month.

The cases reported include the following examples:

- a black communications engineer who daily faced racist comments over a sustained period. His work colleagues tried to set him alight and he received death threats through the post.

- a Chinese engineering machinist who was "tormented" by racist names and comments

- an Asian management consultant was promoted to an area where he had no experience and later sacked.

John Monks TUC General-Secretary said; "Racial discrimination is illegal and will not be tolerated by decent people."

The TUC is urging employers to train workers on resisting racism and is calling on the government to introduce mandatory ethnic monitoring.