A Tory MP has admitted adding a “death threat” to a Facebook post designed to expose the "unacceptable" abuse she received after voting in favour of air strikes in Syria.

Lucy Allan, MP for Telford, posted an email she had received from a disgruntled constituent complaining about her decision but added the words “unless you die” at the bottom of the post.

She defended it by saying her addition had been a threat sent in by another constituent on the same day and justified her decision to post it because it showed examples of the abuse that MPs receive “most days and that most people tolerate silently”.

The original post, sent by Adam Watling under the pseudonym Rusty Shackleford – the son of Telford & Wrekin Labour councillor Paul Watling – said he had not sent the “unless you die” line.

“It was absolutely not from any of my correspondence to Lucy. I am a peaceful person and would never make a threat of that nature,” he told the BBC.

British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Show all 10 1 /10 British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Tornado jet takes off from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, as RAF Tornado jets carried out the first British bombing runs over Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Pilots and ground crew prepare combat aircraft Panavia Tornados at RAF Marham at RAF Marham, UK Getty British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Eurofighter Typhoon jet takes off from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, as RAF Tornado jets carried out the first British bombing runs over Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A RAF Tornado arrives at RAF Akrotiri to begin operations in Akrotiri British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Tornado jet ahead of taking off from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland, as RAF Tornado jets carried out the first British bombing runs over Syria, the Ministry of Defence has confirmed. The air strikes were carried out within hours of a vote by MPs in the Commons to back extending operations against Isis from neighbouring Iraq British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Personnel work on a British Tornado after it returned from a mission at RAF Akrotiri in southern Cyprus British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria Two RAF Tornado GR4's, both with remaining weapons ordnance, approach RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, as they return to the base after carrying out some of the first British bombing runs over Syria British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A RAF Tornado takes off from RAF Akrotiri, on the Mediterranean island nation of Cyprus British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria A Tornado jet leaving RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland British jets prepare for air strikes in Syria AKA RAF Tornado arrives at RAF Akrotiri to begin operations in Akrotiri, Cyprus. The RAF has sent two further Tornado aircraft and six Typhoons to bolster aircraft now flying sorties to both Iraq and Syria

Defending the modification of the email, Ms Allen told the BBC: "I posted actual comments made to me on the same day, although not in the same email. Comments were added to the post as they came in.

I posted them to show examples of the type of unacceptable online abuse that comes in most days and that most people tolerate silently.

"The comments were not posted to discredit any individual. "Rusty" could have been anyone, or a wholly fictional person. he chose to identify himself and came forward with a surname. At that point I took the post down."