Marks and Spencer has sparked another gender-neutral row after telling customers that they can use whichever fitting room they feel comfortable in, regardless of gender.

Feminist campaigner Jean Hatchet asked the brand to clarify its position last night after she complained that a man had entered the women's cubicle area at a store in Yorkshire during a teenage girl's bra fitting.

The 53-year-old took to social media with a post that read: 'Cubicle or no cubicle. Curtain or no curtain. Open space changing or not.

'Men should not have access to any of these female spaces alongside women. @marksandspencer please clarify your policy on female changing rooms.'

Marks and Spencer has sparked another gender-neutral fury after telling customers that they can use whichever fitting room they feel comfortable in regardless of gender (stock image)

A spokesperson for M&S was quick to reply to Ms Hatchet's post and stated: 'As a business, we strive to be inclusive and therefore, we allow customers the choice of which fitting room they feel comfortable to use, in respect of how they identify themselves.

'This is an approach other retailers and leisure facilities have also adopted.

'We understand your concerns and I want to make it clear that if any customer was to act inappropriately or cause intentional offence, the necessary action would be taken.'

But the revelation of the policy sparked fierce backlash among both male and female shoppers with some even calling for a boycott of the store if M&S did not reverse it.

One user, @injiduducu, replied to the online thread and said: 'I can tell you their policy - any man can use the women's changing rooms. If he does something bad, they will deal with it.

'[M&S has] removed the first and most effective line of safeguarding. This shows utter contempt for thier core customer base.

'The arrogance is breathtaking.'

Feminist campaigner Jean Hatchet, 53, sparked the row by asking the brand to clarify its position after she complained that a man had entered the women's cubicle area during a teenage girl's bra fitting

Zoe Richards, with the handle @youthvadvocate, added: 'As a younger woman I was always uncomfortable changing in shops, [had] the curtain fully closed on both sides, have I definitely locked the door.

'To know that trans women or men were stripping in the same area would have heightened my anxiety exponentially.

'Not so fussed now old.'

The brand's reply, which stated that they 'allow customers the choice of which fitting room' they wish, sparked fierce backlash among both male and female shoppers (stock image)

Speaking afterwards, Ms Hatchet, from Yorkshire, said: 'I am absolutely uncomfortable on my own behalf and even more uncomfortable on behalf of women across the country, especially those who have experienced sexual violence who have a heightened sense of awareness of the male body in their presence.

'The response from M&S was incredibly dismissive.'

She has since carried out a poll on Twitter asking her followers for their initial response which shows an overwhelming majority of customers do not feel comfortable with the retailer's policy.

An spokesman for M&S said: 'All M&S fitting rooms have lockable cubicles designed to protect each customer's privacy.

'As a business, we strive to be inclusive and therefore, we allow customers the choice of which fitting room they feel comfortable to use, in respect of how they identify themselves.

'This is an approach other retailers and leisure facilities have also adopted.

'We have asked our customer to share more detail about their concerns so that we can take the necessary action if another customer was acting inappropriately.'

M&S was embroiled in a similar row just last year after Silent Witness actress Liz Carr hit out after her transgender friend was refused entry into a fitting room.