An MP was forced to arrive at a school’s music festival almost incognito after Facebook threats to disrupt the family day out.

Faversham and Mid Kent MP Helen Whately was asked to step down from her official role of opening the fun day by Sheldwich Primary School’s PTA on Saturday, after organisers became aware of Facebook posts threatening to pelt her with eggs and disrupt the day.

Protesters were said to be mainly angry about Tory Mrs Whately’s vote not to end the public sector pay cap.

“It was really unpleasant,” said Mrs Whately. “I was advised by the chair of the PTA that they were worried about the Facebook posts and they didn’t want the festival to be disrupted.

“They asked me not to attend in an official capacity and I didn’t want to spoil the event for children, or jeopardise their fundraising.

“Irrespective of the threats, I would have gone ahead and attended but I went along with the request.”

Instead of the grand opening, Mrs Whately slipped into the event and mingled with the 500-strong crowd of parents, during which time the MP says she does not recall any particular unpleasantness.

She added: “A school fete is not a party political event. I visit schools and I don’t talk about my party – just about democracy.”

Sheldwich Primary School’s head teacher Sarah Garrett said: "The chair of the PTA spoke to the chair of governors and me about a possible disruption to the opening of the festival by a group of people who had posted comments on social media.

"The decision was taken to cancel the invitation to open the festival as the school would not wish to put any visitor at risk."

The safety of MPs going about their day-to-day duties in their constituencies came into sharp focus when Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered on June 16 last year in Birstall, West Yorkshire, where she was due to hold a surgery.

Defending her record on public sector pay, Mrs Whately said: “I’m of the view we need to look at public sector pay in the light of increasing inflation.

“But the right time to do that is in the autumn at the budget and when public sector pay review bodies report.”

She added: “I want to see well paid public sector workers, but we have to have the money to pay them.”