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A man and a woman have been arrested after five Remain MPs were sent a photo of a crossbow alongside a message reading "We are ready for civil war... are you?"

Twitter accounts belonging to four Independent Group MPs - Anna Soubry, Chuka Umunna, Angela Smith and Sarah Wollaston - and Labour MP David Lammy were tagged in the threat which had a photo of a crossbow hanging from a door.

South Yorkshire Police said two people were arrested Tuesday afternoon in connection with the tweet.

The tweet was sent last week from an account named Sheffield and Yorkshire Direct Action Brexit Group.

A spokeswoman for the force said: "A 40-year-old-man and a 33-year-old woman were arrested in Sheffield on suspicion of sending malicious communications. Enquiries are ongoing."

(Image: PA)

MPs Anna Soubry, Chuka Umunna, David Lammy, Angela Smith and Sarah Wollaston - all of whom have backed calls for a second referendum on leaving the EU, including the option to remain in the union - were tagged in the tweet posted in the early hours of March 22.

The biography on the Twitter account which posted the crossbow photo read: "We need to leave the EU and the politicians are not listening.

"We want to start a movement to help as many people as possible have their voice heard. Help us."

A pinned tweet described the group as "a new movement for the poor and the working class who are so often overlooked and ignored".

(Image: Getty Images)

That tweet added: "We run this country, it's time the politicians remembered that!"

The tweet containing the crossbow photo was removed from public view and it is understood Twitter placed the account in a read-only state until the user took action to delete the message.

Twitter said it does not comment on individual accounts for reasons of privacy and security.

Twitter states that it has a "zero tolerance policy against violent threats", with anyone deemed to be sharing such messages facing 'immediate and permanent suspension of their account'.

(Image: Getty)

More than 150 people commented on the photo before it was removed from public view - with many saying they had reported the matter to police.

Responding to criticism, a later tweet from the Sheffield and Yorkshire Direct Action Brexit Group account insisted the crossbow message was not intended to be threatening.

The follow-up tweet declared: "Threatening to kill?????? How?

"All used to protect my home and my family, just indicating that whatever happens with Brexit, when law and order goes to **** I and my 'terrorist network cell' (you're an idiot) will be ready! Will you?"

A further tweet from the account stated: "I'm a caring kind of person.

"Just want my MPs to be careful that nothing happens to them."

And another read: "It's OK, don't bother wasting your energy. Everyone has reported me and.....shock horror......no police....no Twitter ban."