A Manchester branch of McDonald's was last night forced to closed after a group of protesters raided the store wearing masks made famous by the 'Anonymous' group.

The Manchester Evening News reported that around 20 demonstrators ran into the Oxford Road store in the city centre at 10PM on Friday night and sat down on the counter, forcing to staff to ask customers to leave and close the store.

Police arrived shortly after the protesters entered the store, after having spotted them wearing distinctive Guy Fawkes masks, based on the one worn by the hero of the comic book V for Vendetta.

Inspector Phil Spurgeon of the Greater Manchester Police, told the Manchester Evening News that it was "noisy and chaotic" in the restaurant.

Around 20 protesters ran into the Oxford Road restaurant on 22 May and refused to leave

He said the protesters left after they were asked to by the manager, and continued noisily protesting outside.

The protesters appeared to be targeting this branch in particular in response to an incident when a teenager was refused service there when trying to buy food for a homeless person.

The group Love Activists Merseyside claimed responsibility for the protest on on their Facebook page.

Inspector Spurgeon confirmed that the group, who left McDonald's to join another protest, said they were from Merseyside before piling into a minibus and leaving.

The bizarre protest evoked Anonymous' long-running campaign against McDonald's, which they believe treats its workers unfairly.

A video released by one 'member' of Anonymous calling for people to take action against the fast food chain has been re-posted on YouTube a number of times over the past few years.