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A spoof poster advising parents to shoot their children if they fear they might have rabies was mistakenly included in an official Government magazine, the Mirror can reveal.

The latest issue of Civil Service Quarterly, which is produced by the Cabinet Office, includes an article charting a “Century of Government communications.”

But the article included an image of a parody poster created for spoof website Scarfolk Council.

The poster reads: “If you suspect your child has rabies, don’t hesitate, shoot. It could save a life.”

In small print at the bottom of the image, it reads: “For more information, please re-read this poster.”

The erroneous image made it into the printed pages of the quarterly magazine, which is sent out to Government offices and departments around the country.

The fictional council sent a cease and desist letter criticising the Cabinet Office for reproducing their policy without permission.

It begins: "It has come to our attention that you have adopted our policy of shooting children".

It continued: "In the circumstances, we demand that you immediately remove all infringing content regards exterminating children (for political, entertainment or culinary reasons)."

The Cabinet Office confirmed a parody of a 1970s public information campaign had been mistakenly used in the magazine.