A FIERCE debate over a National Trust and Cadbury Easter egg hunt has prompted ridicule from commentators.

Dr John Sentamu, pictured, the Archbishop of York, accused the chocolate giant of “spitting on the grave” of its religious founder by removing references to Easter from the Egg Hunt it runs nationwide with the conservation charity.

Both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn were also critical of the decision to drop the word “Easter” from the annual egg event - with the Prime Minister branding it “absolutely ridiculous”.

But Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said the pair had “got egg on their faces” after criticising Cadbury and the National Trust “for something they haven’t actually done”.

The National Trust described claims it had downplayed the significance of the festival as “nonsense” while the chocolate giant said it was “simply not true” to claim Easter did not feature in its marketing.

Mr Farron said: “Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have got egg on their faces today.

“They both scrambled out eggs-traordinary statements criticising Cadbury’s and the National Trust for something they haven’t actually done. This is a eggs-tremely big distraction.

“I think we all feel poached by this whole sorry saga, but none of us more so than Cadbury’s and the National Trust, who have done nothing wrong and are right to feel egg-rieved by the criticism they have received.”

Former footballer Gary Lineker wrote: “So disgusted, I may never eat a chocolate egg again. #eggxit.”

It was also reported Esther McConnell, a descendent of John Cadbury, said her ancestor, the Cadbury founder, would not have been troubled by the matter.