Meat is Murder for Morrissey... and he’s now even got a beef with anyone turning up at his shows with so much as a sausage sandwich.

Stunned fans had their bags searched at his latest gig to make sure they did not have any meat products with them.

The vegetarian star, whose hits when he fronted The Smiths included Shoplifters of the World Unite and Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now, apparently wanted to ensure that no one could throw meat at him and his band during the performance.

Mel Stokes, 36, and partner Elliott Alexander, 35, were among the 1,200 sellout crowd who attended the gig, which was the final concert of Morrissey’s UK tour.

Astonished Mel said: “As you went into the venue you were funnelled through to the top of some steps where they were carrying out searches. A member of the security staff then went through my bag and told me that they were checking to make sure that I was not carrying any meat products inside.

“I know that a few years ago Morrissey stopped a gig because someone was throwing sausages at him.

“And they have removed burger vans from his gigs in the past, so it was obviously down to that again.

“Elliott made a joke about hiding sausages in his trousers and the security guy said ‘I haven’t heard that one before’.”

Mel added: “I think it was just Morrissey being a diva – again.”

Dressed in a sequined see-through shirt, Morrissey, 52, made a reference to bullfighting before performing Meat is Murder at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

Venue spokeswoman Laura Hannaway said: “The search is for anything that can be thrown at the band such as alcohol, plastic bottles and even umbrellas.

“It is a pat-down and we ask people to take drinks in plastic containers. I did not know they were stopping sausages being taken in – that is a bit random.”