A disgraced head chef has been sacked from a hotel restaurant after boasting on Instagram that he regularly feeds meat to vegans.

Alex Lambert, 30, was fired from his job as head chef of Littleover Lodge Hotel, Derby, after bragging it was his 'personal favourite' to serve 'animal products' to vegans without their knowledge.

His contract was terminated following two days of relentless pressure from vegan campaigners who labelled him 'dangerous' and accused him of abusing their human rights.

Head chef Alex Lambert, 30, has been sacked by the Littleover Lodge Hotel in Derby for boasting on Instagram that he enjoys feeding meat to vegans.

The Instagram exchange that led to a barrage of complaints against Alex Lambert and cost him his job.

Mr Lambert, a father-of-one from Derby, has since vehemently denied ever feeding meat to anybody against their will and claims he only made the comment to 'p*** off' a vegan woman in a row over social media.

During their bitter exchange he wrote: 'Well you should find a better way to spend your time, my personal favourite is feeding vegans animal products and them not knowing.

'And by people like me I assume you mean most of the planet? As being a vegan is a minority. So if you're spending half an hour per person you best crack on.'

The woman replied: 'Hope you get caught one day, would love to see that. I know we're a minority and really don't give a sh*t because that has no relevance. Enjoy the heart disease :)'

The remarks provoked an online backlash, with vegans from across the country sharing the post and flooding the village hotel's Facebook page with 1-star reviews.

Mr Lambert had only recently taken up his role at the hotel, which employed him based on strong references from a host of 'reputable hotel and restaurant chains'.

He was suspended on Tuesday after management insisted his comments were made 'in a heated moment' and that 'this practice has never taken place'.

Management at Littleover Lodge Hotel branded Mr Lambert's comments 'absolute stupidity' and say they feel 'battered' by the ensuing controversy

But the furore intensified, with many vegans calling on customers to boycott the 3-star establishment.

Doreen McCluskey wrote: 'The chef at this hotel prides himself on sneaking pork bits in the food of people who can't eat it. He thinks that it's very funny. I suggest that you eat elsewhere unless you want to be the butt of the joke and be sick, after paying good money for your food.'

Rosie Wilder wrote: 'It is in writing that your head chef is purposely feeding vegans non-vegan food. If the head chef remains, I will never attend this establishment and will warn all my family/friends/vegan groups to avoid at all costs!!'

Abigail Elizabeth Suter wrote: 'People have a right to know what goes into their food. If I asked for a vegan dish and was told that is what I'd get then I'd expect a vegan dish. Not something where the chef has been sneaking animal products into it for a laugh.'

Rachel Hill added: 'He should not be allowed to work with food again. He clearly cannot be trusted! This is very, very serious, I hope he realises just how dangerous his behaviour has been. The trust that we put into restaurants and chefs as paying customers has been completely abused.'

Following Mr Lambert's post, the hotel's Facebook page was inundated with complaints from people demanding his dismissal

After initially suspending Mr Lambert, bosses at the family-run hotel then revealed he had been sacked.

A statement said: 'We have investigated all accusations against Mr Lambert and found no evidence suggesting that any of these practices have taken place within this hotel.

'However, due to the comments made by Mr Lambert regarding specific dietary requirements the company has decided to terminate his employment which has been done forthwith.'

A militant vegan saw this post and began commenting, saying I should go get heart disease and I will be responsible for the death of my daughter by feeding her animal products. I lost my temper, which I think is understandable Chef Alex Lambert, 30

Speaking after his sacking, Mr Lambert admitted he had been 'completely stupid' but insisted he had been provoked by a 'militant vegan'.

In his Instagram profile he described himself as a 'carnivore' and told people to 'stop being so sensitive'. The account has since been deleted, along with his Twitter and Facebook.

He said yesterday: 'It was a stupid comment made to a vegan during an argument online. It started as a post I had made that essentially said 'how do you know if someone is a vegan? Don't worry, they will tell you'.

'That was in relation to a customer who had come in and was telling everyone they were vegan, it's much healthier and better for them and anyone that eats meat is wrong.

'A militant vegan saw this post and began commenting, saying I should go get heart disease and I will be responsible for the death of my daughter by feeding her animal products.

'I lost my temper, which I think is understandable given her comments and said something completely stupid with the sole intention of pi**ing her off. That is basically all it was.

'I have been a chef for nine years. I have never in this time done anything like feeding a vegan animal products or slipped in contaminated food.

'My job has always been my passion and something I have always taken very seriously. It was a stupid comment said out of anger.

'For the record I have no issue with vegans.'

Hotel general manager Nicholas Crooks branded Mr Lambert's comments 'absolute stupidity'.

He added: 'This is the last thing we need, the comment was nothing to do with us. We've investigated the situation and we've replied to every single review.