An estate agent in Norwich has apologised to customers after someone posing as an employee posted offensive remarks online about the Prince Philip.

Samuel Le Good, a partner at abbotFox on Upper King Street, said the incident was being investigated by the police after a fake Facebook account was set up by somebody claiming to be a member of staff. They then proceeded to post offensive remarks following the death of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Le Good told the press: “This person has never worked for abbotFox. They made up a profile and then another with a different picture and we were inundated with complaints, many understandably from veterans.

“However, those people who were up in arms are now giving us words of sympathy. We had enormous respect and admiration for our veterans and that’s why we raised money for the poppy appeal last year.

“As did Prince Philip, my great-grandfather served in the Royal Navy and my grandfather fought on the front line in the Second World War. To show such disrespect towards a veteran is extremely hurtful.”

Abbotfox posted a statement on their social media about the incident, stating: “It is with great sadness that we must make a public statement about a malicious act inflicted upon abbotFox in an attempt to harm and disrupt our business.

“A member of the public has created a fake social media account falsifying that they work for abbotFox. This account has then posted vile and unforgivable comments about the recent passing of HRH Prince Philip.

“Understandably this has greatly upset and outraged some members of the public as it has us. This ‘person’ does not exist.

“AbbotFox and its employees absolutely do not share the views of this ‘person’ and we are at a complete loss as to why someone would do this.”