An Asda employee says he was sacked by the supermarket giant after sharing a Billy Connolly sketch about religion on his Facebook page.

Till worker Brian Leach was dismissed after a colleague in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, complained that the comments in the Scottish comedian's skit, which was years old, were anti-Islamic.

The 54-year-old disabled granddad, who has been accused of Islamophobia, said he was hauled into a meeting and later "dismissed without notice" for violating Asda's social media policy.

In a dismissal letter from Asda, Mr Leach admitted the post was offensive, that he removed it and apologised to colleagues who were upset, Examiner Live reports.

(Image: Examiner Live )

The letter said Mr Leach was sacked for "gross misconduct".

The video referred to in the post is Mr Connolly's Religion is Over taken from his live stage act a number of years ago.

In the sketch, the comedian rails against religious followers of Christianity and Islam.

It includes the lines: "Religion is over, lads, it's f****** over. Take your Reformation, your Vatican, your f****** Mecca, and f*** off.

"Suicide f****** bombing - now there's a bright idea. Every time there's a bang the world is a w***** short. F****** idiots."

(Image: Examiner Live )

Mr Leach said he is devastated after being sacked after working for Asda for five years.

He claims he was "grassed up" by an Asda employee who worked for its head office.

He added: "She was upset. I was aware that she was upset.

"I was then pulled into a meeting a couple of weeks later on 9 May in Dewsbury and then on Wednesday, 19 June, I was summarily dismissed without notice following a disciplinary meeting for breaching the company's social media policy.

"I'm really upset and I would love to know what Billy Connolly would think about what has happened to me.

"I didn't have enough money to join a union so I have not been able to appeal the decision.

(Image: PA)

"I have to go into Asda today to give back my two discount cards and my locker key."

He claims screen grab of his post was posted on Instagram, and that has left him fearing for his life.

Mr Leach announced his dismissal on Facebook , writing last week: "Unfortunately, I have today been dismissed from Asda.

"Some of my colleagues took offence to the Billy Connelly, (sic), thoughts on religion, that I posted early May.

"It's been a pleasure working with my friends and serving the public of Dewsbury and I will miss my regular customers x."

He later wrote: "Feeling lost today. I would be getting prepared for my busy Sunday afternoon shift. 12 - 4.15 oh well I've got to get past this feeling."

The dismissal letter from Asda said he admitted the post was offensive, that he removed it and apologised to affected colleagues.

Watch: Billy Connolly has viewers in tears as he reflects on his life ‘slipping away’

It said he had committed a gross misconduct offence, and his Facebook post had the "potential to bring the company into disrepute".

His apology to bosses read: "I fully acknowledge my sharing of material online within my Facebook account regarding religion has upset many people and understand it to be a very serious breach of the company social media policy.

"In mitigation, I immediately removed the item causing offence and removed the association with Asda on my profile, also removing Colleagues from Facebook friendship who may have been deeply offended by such post.

"I have spoken to affected Colleagues apologising for my post, taking their feedback onboard. I have realised people's faiths are very important to them, and the nature of the post regarding the sensitive nature of it relating to the holy place of Islam.

"If I had faith I can imagine being very upset myself.

"Saying that the post shared is a joke by Billy Connelly (sic) not my personal views. But I recognise how colleagues may think this is my view. As a result I will think very carefully before posting online or saying anything that could be interpreted as hurtful to others and my place of work."

He added: "I believe this has been a wake up call and will not be repeated. I would like the opportunity to prove that this post does not reflect who I am."

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An Asda spokesman said: "We would never comment on individual circumstances.

"However we do not tolerate any form of discrimination from colleagues or customers and take such behaviour extremely seriously.”