Anti-lockdown campaigners have sparked disgust by urging pubs and shops in a seaside town to reopen this weekend

A shocking leaflet has been delivered to businesses in Whitstable, calling on them to defy current government guidelines ordering them to stay shut.

Titled The Great Reopening and signed by East Kent Truthers, it reads: "In a mass civil disobedience campaign Italian restaurant owners who are sick of lockdown and fear for their businesses have opened in mass protest at lockdown rules.

"Let’s do that here too. This is the only way you will be able to keep your business going.

"The government lockdowns will continue for as long as we allow them to."

Pubs and restaurants must currently remain shut, except for takeaways, and could be subject to fines if they breach the rules.

Bev Newton, who runs who runs Memories and Moonbeams, was disgusted when she received one of the leaflets.

She has lost a friend who contracted Covid-19 so is tragically aware of the devastation it can cause.

"There have been leaflets delivered through doors sharing these conspiracy theories and I'm like, 'for goodness sake, people are dying here'," the 59-year-old said.

"I am horrified that we have gone through this and some simple-minded person could deliver this."

Read more: All the latest news from Whitstable