Rewording of the traditional Christmas carol "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman" has been derided on social media.

The words to the popular centuries-old carol were changed to include the lines "God rest you also, women, who by men have been erased" and "God rest you, queer and questioning".

The amended version was sung during a carol service at All Saints with Holy Trinity Church in Loughborough, Leicestershire, attended by the Mayor of Charnwood. 

General Synod member Sam Margrave criticised the lyrics in a post alongside a picture of the new words on Twitter.

"When they say we aren't ordaining political activists show them this... Absolutely disgusted an act of worship to our Lord & Saviour is being used to push political ideology contrary to Church teaching," he said. 

Another Twitter user commented, "Very important for the new religion to try to wear the skin of the old. Having ripped out the Gospel, naturally."

The Diocese of Leicester said it was up to individual churches to choose their songs.

"The 320 churches in the diocese each choose their own hymns and carols and represent a wide range of theological tradition and opinion, and this will naturally be reflected in the hymns and carols that are sung in particular churches," they said. 

Asked about the row on Times Radio, Catholic leader Cardinal Vincent Nichols said he preferred the traditional values of Christmas over "particular sensitivities which come and go".