A PETITION to ban street preacher Mike Overd from delivering his message in Taunton and Bridgwater gained more than 3,000 signatures in just two days.

Leon Da Silva launched the on-line appeal after he claims Mr Overd, who he accuses of being a 'hate preacher', told him he is a sinner and will go to hell for being gay.

Mr Da Silva said he witnessing Mr Overd - who denies any wrongdoing - regularly "getting into conflict" with people in both town centres for hurling "racial, homophobic, discriminative and offensive comments" at passers-by.

"I got into a confrontation with him last week because of my sexuality, saying I was a sinner and will go to hell for being gay - and just because I have two kids, I am a bad father for bringing them up in that environment," added Mr Da Silva.

"I am proposing that we go to the local council and get this man banned from preaching in the town centre as locals want a hassle-free shopping experience."

Mr Overd, of Creech St Michael, who was arrested and later released without charge in Bridgwater on Saturday, has also been criticised for comparing a former Bible student and one-time preacher to Hitler.

Michael Palmer intervened after his wife, Maureen, recently got into an altercation with Mr Overd in Taunton High Street.

"He called out and accused me of being a sinner," said Mrs Palmer.

"I turned and told him to go away, but he started giving me a hard time.

"My husband told him to stop and advised him he had no right to talk to his wife in that manner, but he accused my husband of being a Hitler lover (which Mr Overd denies saying).

"Other people also asked him to stop his ranting, but all we all got was, 'This is a country of free speech' and he had every right to tell the people of Somerset that they were all evil in the eyes of God."

Mr Overd has been summoned to court four times accused of public order offences - he was found not guilty the first time, while two guilty findings were overturned at appeal and the fourth case was dropped.

Referring to the confrontation with Mr and Mrs Palmer, he said: "It was a bad day with vile language, abuse and intolerance from the elder generation.

"This elderly couple walked past and the lady said, 'Why don't you shut up?'

"I said, 'I won't be quiet. Why don't you be quiet? Don't be so intolerant'."

Mr Overd claims she was then abusive and her husband intervened.

"I said, 'Are you going to join in and be just as bad as your wife? I value the freedom of speech. People died in the Second World War to give us freedom of speech'.

"I said words to the effect, 'You stand alongside Hitler to a degree'. I didn't call him a Hitler lover.

"They're trying to stop a Christian preacher giving his message religiously and democratically within our law."

Mr Overd said he has been shocked by the number of people signing Mr Da Silva's petition.

He denied even knowing Mr Da Silva was gay and said people will not go to hell because of their sexual orientation.

He added: "I'm a man truly sold out for Christ. My life isn't my own.

"If my faith is strong, what sort of message is that if you back off?

"How much taxpayers money have they wasted and are continuing to waste trying to silence me?"

Mr Overd is taking legal advice over whether to report certain people to the police for hate crimes and possibly taking legal action against people he accuses of slander.