THREATS of a lawsuit have been made by a couple who were banned from a Hindu temple by Cheltenham's Indian Association.

Bad feeling between members spilled over after a dramatic meeting, at which Shantial Kotecha and his wife Kanta were banned from the Swindon Road temple.

The pair have now told the association's management committee they will see them in court unless they revoke the ban.

Their son, Sandip Kotecha, vowed to stop at nothing to overturn the "unjust" ruling.

He said: "I have taken legal advice on behalf of my parents and solicitors have been instructed to write a letter of claim to the committee.

The Indian Association started in 1984 as a registered charity. It runs workshops and groups for the Cheltenham Hindu community.

It is funded by donations and grants from Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucestershire County Council.

Opponents of the management committee, including the Kotechas, called for a extraordinary meeting to discuss its competency last week.

They say the temple, which includes a hall, kitchen and workshop rooms, has an unwelcoming atmosphere.

The row between members has now reached the Echo's website, www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk, where more than 100 comments were left supporting and criticising the association's leaders.

Mrs Kotecha, who runs a weekly yoga class at the temple, said she has suffered a major fall out with committee members.

A sign posted outside the temple and signed by the committee this week says the yoga sessions will no longer be run at the temple. Sandip said: "They have no right to ban my mother from the temple.

"The association is a registered charity and the temple belongs to that charity.

"They have also banned my father when he has nothing to do with the yoga club or any other dispute.

"None of the issues we hoped to discuss at the meeting were raised."

Campaigners have claimed the group's temple, which includes a hall, kitchen and workshop rooms, has an unwelcoming atmosphere and leaders should get younger people involved.

No one from the management committee was available for comment.