Ribena fans have reacted with horror after Tesco vowed to stop selling the popular drink.

The move, which will also see other sugary drinks including Capri-Sun removed from shelves, is being made in a bid to combat childhood obesity.

However, best-selling fizzy drinks, including Coca Cola, will stay.

The UK's biggest supermarket chain will be making the change on September 7, to coincide with the end of school summer holidays, when sugary drinks will either replaced by no-added-sugar alternatives or Tesco no-added-sugar own-label products.

Tesco has received a barrage of tweets from Ribena fans bemoaning the decision.

Serena said: "I could forgive you for horse meat Tesco, but I cannot forgive you for this."

Alfie tweeted: "You can sell me horse meat all day long but if you take my Ribena you're taking my heart."

And Antijanner said: "I am a fully fledged adult with a career. AND I drink Ribena. It's 1 of those perks of being an adult. Being able to buy it yourself."

Others were simply incredulous, with many tweeting Tesco to ask whether the rumours were true.

Chetan Vitthal said: "Tesco banning Ribena and Capri-Sun? You can not be serious."

Meanwhile some were quick to point out that Tesco will continue to sell other potentially harmful products, including fizzy drinks, tobacco, and alcohol.

Tesco’s soft drinks buying manager David Beardmore told trade magazine The Grocer that the changes were being made as part of an overhaul of the kids' juice category.

He said: "This is part of our 10-point plan against obesity and we have decided that from September we will only sell no-added-sugar drinks in the kids’ juice category.

"Most of the suppliers are supportive of it and understand what we are doing."

A spokeswoman for Lucozade Ribena Suntory told The Grocer: "We believe it is important to offer choice for parents.

"We will have no-added-sugar flavours available in multi-pack cartons."