POLICE wrestled a couple to the ground after they rowed with Tesco staff over their trolley full of bottled water.

Footage taken from the Rochdale, Greater Manchester superstore on Tuesday evening shows what appears to be blood splattered on the shop floor.

Customers were left stunned and shop assistants stopped working at the tills as the woman screamed at the top of her lungs, claiming the officer had punched her husband and hit her.

Her partner, on the ground by another officer, shouts: “I didn't do anything. When are you allowed to punch someone for doing nothing?

"You wanna know what racism is? This is what it f***ing looks like."

The ugly scenes followed claims that staff had refused to let them buy more than 20 bottles of mineral water when they brought a trolley-load of flavoured Volvic up to the counter.

Speaking to his partner's camera, he said: "So, we're in Tesco, Rochdale, and for some reason they've got a different policy to every other Tesco up and down the country.

"Every other Tesco we managed to get these Volvic bottles, as many as we want.

"We're not retailers, we're not wholesalers, we just want them for our home but unfortunately in this Tesco we've been told that we're only allowed ten bottles each."

A security guard steps in and asks them to stop filming, saying it is forbidden on private property.

The woman tells him: "At the end of the day, we just wanna buy the water. We buy it in every store."

A police officer then approaches and asks what the problem is.

When he realises he is being filmed he turns his back to the camera and asks the couple to switch it off - which they do.

But the woman resumes filming moments later as the officer is trying to lead her partner towards the store exit.

He stands his ground and tells the officer: "I was already walking. You didn't need to escort me. Can you just clarify something for me?"

But the officer refuses to discuss the matter any further and grabs the man by his clothing.

He then appears to swing his right arm towards the man’s head, who ducks out of the way before his partner steps in.

She screams "get off me" when the officer takes hold of her, as she clings to a nearby checkout and resists.

The first officer then hauls the sobbing woman to the floor, with more of his colleagues rushing into view as the footage cuts out.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "Two people have been charged with assaulting a police officer.

"Nasir Hussain, 28, and Mahira Hussain, 28, both of Landseet Street, Oldham, have been charged with assault of a constable and have been bailed to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, October 30.

"Around 7pm on Tuesday, September 25, while responding to another incident at Tesco on Silk Street, Rochdale, an officer was alerted to a disturbance in the store.

"The officer spoke to both parties involved before asking a man to leave.

"The officer was assaulted and suffered injuries to his face."

A Tesco spokesperson said: “We are aware of the incident at the Rochdale Superstore and will assist with the investigation.”