Boris Johnson has been told to stop wearing a Grimsby Town FC woolly hat by hundreds of people who say he is “shaming a community”.

The former prime minister, who has been giving evidence at the UK COVID inquiry this week, was seen leaving the hearings wearing a grey hat with the letters “GTFC” on it.

Now more than 700 people have signed a petition saying Mr Johnson is “bringing Grimsby into serious disrepute”.

It adds: “Johnson has no formal connection to the club. He has never lived in Grimsby.

“He is using the town to add lustre and glamour to his own shattered life.”

It ends with a quip that Mr Johnson should stop wearing the hat and adopt one “more suited to his lowly status”, recommending Manchester United.

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People have also commented in support of the petition, with one saying: “Grimsby Town’s situation is bad enough without that clown making it worse.”

Another said: “Not a Grimsby fan but if Johnson decided to wear my football team’s hat I’d be horrified! So, full solidarity here!”

Grimsby Town FC are currently 20th in League Two, sitting five points above the relegation zone.

Mr Johnson’s spokesperson declined to comment on his clothing choices.