County town target for jibes

Shrewsbury has become the second town in Shropshire to be mocked by cyberpests after they published a series of insults about the town and its people.

The entry, similar to one which has provoked a backlash in Telford, claims the county town is famous only for Charles Darwin. The comments were made on the Uncyclopedia website - a parody of online encyclopedia Wikipedia.

It pokes fun at Shrewsbury's residents describing them as monkeys who have evolved into sheep.

It adds they have "six toes, half a brain and think they are posh . . . but they are little more than Welsh imbreeds".

It also claims that since a "constitutional change" in 2003 it is illegal to sell red jeans in the town and that Shrewsbury "doesn't appear on any maps printed in Wales".

Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council leader Peter Nutting today branded the website "nonsense" and defended the town as a great place to live.

He said: "It does sound ill-informed rubbish and I genuinely believe Shrewsbury is a brilliant place to live.

"People ought not to pay any attention to these websites that spring up that try to sensationalise issues by trying to be critical.

"For those who spend time in the town centre they really appreciate what we have got and the quality of live we have. I just think it's total nonsense."

The website says: "Shrewsbury is a town only famous for being the birthplace of Charles Darwin, who wrote the Origin of Species, whilst studying the town's residents.

"Most shoppers on the town's infamous Pride Hill have experienced his survival of the fittest theory whilst trying to barge past other shoppers in order to enter into one of the identikit high street shops."

The website goes on to describe Shrewsbury as being "overrun" with students and claims that St Chad's churchyard is frequented by "goths and emos".

It also makes claims about the town's MP Daniel Kawczynski and makes less than flattering remarks about Shrewsbury Town FC and its new £15 million stadium.

Nobody was available for comment from Uncyclopedia.

By Russell Roberts