Pub chain JD Wetherspoon has hit back after social media went wild today over a spoof poppy alert.

Many on Twitter launched a #BoycottWetherspoons campaign after it was claimed bosses had banned staff from wearing poppies to commemorate Remembrance Sunday.

A spoof Twitter account called @Wetherspoon_UK went viral after it posted the message:

“Due to the ever expanding multiculturalism of our clientele and employers this year our own staff will not be wearing the poppy while at work.”

But today pub bosses returned fire with a stinging reply on its official account. It said:

“Yet again, the spoof Wetherspoon Twitter account has crossed the line with its distasteful and insensitive tweet about the wearing of poppies."

It went on: “JD Wetherspoon is in no way connected with this Twitter account and neither shares nor condones its posts.

“In our opinion, although the unofficial spoof account is stated to be a parody account, tweets like this are simply not funny.”

Tonight one of its pubs, the Belle and Lion in Sheerness High Street on the Isle of Sheppey, told customers: “Please ignore the rumour regarding staff and the wearing of Poppies.

“Our poppies were delivered by British Legion representatives yesterday and will be available on the bar for all customers and staff from Saturday.”

Sheppey resident Mike Kirkham-Ingram, who is member of the British Royal Legion, said: “I’m ex-forces and I have been following this since about 5 pm when it started to appear all over social media.

“I have been trying to tell everyone it was a fake post. I wonder if the company will be seeking legal advice to shut the idiot down who started this?”

Wetherspoon has 17 pubs in Kent including: The Westgate Inn Canterbury, the County Hotel Ashford, Golden Hope Sittingbourne, Peter Cushing Whitstable, Leading Light Faversham, Thomas Waghorn Chatham, Saxon Shore Herne Bay, Flying Boat Dartford, The Railway Rainham, Humphrey Bean Tonbridge, Robert Peacock Gravesend, Sennockian Sevenoaks, Opera House Tunbridge Wells and the Muggleton Inn Maidstone.