Jeanette Winterson sparks row with dead rabbit tweets

Award-winning author Jeanette Winterson has faced a Twitter backlash after posting photographs of a rabbit that she killed in revenge for eating her parsley.

The Oranges are not the Only Fruit author posted an image of the skinned rabbit to her 32,700 followers with the comment: "Rabbit ate my parsley. I am eating the rabbit."

This was followed by a series of images of the carcass washed and cooking in cider, as well as pictures of her cat eating the entrails.

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Winterson insisted that she had trapped and killed the rabbit humanely, but caused more consternation among some of her followers by adding: "The skin which includes the head makes a great glove puppet."

One follower, Jacqueline Looker, tweeted to say: "Before I unfollow you, you make me sick. I will never again read a word you write. Rest in peace, little rabbit."

Winterson replied: "Do you only read vegetarians? If not, why is farmed meat fine but personally trapped disgusting? Think about it."

Another user wrote: "Thing is that most people don't feel a need to post such a graphic image and joke about it. That's the difference."

Winterson claimed that rabbits must be culled when they reach pest level and asked "Why not eat what u catch?" She pointed out that her meal included no waste, no packaging, no processing and no food miles.

Several tweeters have since posted message in defence of the author's "eco-friendly" meal, with some even asking for the recipe.