A descendent of Abram Lyle, the devout Christian creator of the Lyle's Golden Syrup tin design, has criticised a rebrand of the product's packaging that removes references to the Bible.

The design of the tin has remained largely unchanged since it was created in the 1880s by Lyle, who was the elder of a Presbyterian church in Greenock, Scotland. 

He was inspired by his Christian faith to design the tin with a distinctive green and gold lion surrounded by a swarm of bees - a reference to the Old Testament story of Samson and the Lion. 

Accompanying the image was the biblical quote, "Out of the strong came forth sweetness."

These are now being ditched by manufacturer Tate & Lyle Sugars to show only a lion's face in a move that has sparked a backlash. 

Alexander Linklater, the great-great-great grandson of Abram Lyle, said the rebrand was "a bad call in the depressing tradition of unnecessary redesigns".

He told The Telegraph: "They are changing something that is both very distinctive and familiar to something generic and woolly.

"It was Britain's oldest brand. The rebranding is a move away from what was a real piece of commercial history."

He added, "I do not think the feeble woolly-shaped lion is very good. Why throw away 140 years of proven branding?"

Tate & Lyle Sugars has said that religion played "no part" in the rebrand of the tin.