Former England football captain John Terry said today he was "very angry and upset" when he thought Anton Ferdinand had accused him of racism.

The 31-year-old has been speaking in court where he is accused of racially aggravated public order offences, after allegedly calling Ferdinand a "f****** black ****" during a Premier League match on October 23 last year.

The father of two, wearing a dark suit, had to be told to keep his voice up at times as he gave evidence.

He said he was "frequently" insulted on the pitch and had "heard it all before".

During the match at Loftus Road last year, Terry said he and Ferdinand first began trading insults when Ferdinand called him a "f****** p****" because a Chelsea player had not given the ball back to QPR.

Terry then ran back to his position and turned round to face Mr Ferdinand.

"He was doing a pumping action and saying 's****ing Bridge's missus'," Terry told the court.

He told Westminster Magistrates Court that as the pair traded insults, he heard Ferdinand say: "Calling me a black ****".

"I thought he was accusing me of calling him a black ****.

"I was very angry and I was upset. I replied 'a black ****, you f****** k*******'".

Terry told his barrister George Carter-Stephenson QC that he co-operated fully with both the Football Association and police inquiries.