John Lennon's son has launched a furious attack on fans who have condemned Yoko Ono for using the murdered Beatle's image to sell Citroen cars.
Sean Lennon and his mother Yoko Ono have been branded "leeches" for allowing archive footage of John to be used in a commercial.
Beatles' fans are outraged that footage of Lennon, dubbed with words spoken by an actor, is being screened on on TV screens in the UK.
Sean made his outburst after one disgusted fan, named only as "Stew", taunted him on Twitter.
Via Twitter the fan told Sean: "You and Ono have sold John out allowing Citroen to use him to sell their cars. English fans are disgusted at you both.
"John was a musical genius and stood for something worthwhile. You and your mother are a talentless pair of leeches. You're not fit to use the surname 'Lennon'.
"Enjoy the money...can't buy you love!"
Sean, 35, came back with an series of angry replies dismissing the fan a "peasant" and an "asshole".
Sean said: "Lennon fans don't ATTACK his widowed family. His widow and her son. How offensive is it to REAL fans, to publicly attack his wife and child?
"It is you who show him no respect. You are speaking to his flesh and blood. You're a 'peasant as far as I can see.'
"When dad died, it was Lennon fans who saved me with their love and support. You are not them, you are just another asshole."
Speaking after the the fan, named Stew, said: "Using him to sell Citroen cars from beyond the grave is really sick. I just can't understand why his son and wife would do it.
"At least I managed to get through to him and tell him how disgusted I was. I hope the ads stop but if they don't, at least I did my best."
The decision to use the dead Beatle's image has infuriated fans who have called for a boycott of Citroen cars, even starting a Facebook campaign calling for the adverts to be scrapped.
Bill Harry, founder of the Mersey Beat newspaper in Liverpool, said: "This is totally out of order and will be depressing millions and millions of Lennon fans."
Citroen has defended its use of John Lennon by saying that permission was sought and given by Yoko Ono and the Lennon estate.
Actress Marilyn Monroe, who died in 1962, is also being used in television advertisements to promote the new Citroen DS3 hatchback.
Twitter loving Beatles fans have also posted messages to Yoko Ono, challenging her to explain why she gave her permission and telling her "Shame on you".
One fan wrote "Yoko believes that John belongs to her alone."
Another wrote "Imagine, three years with 0% interest, isn’t that how the song goes?"
The television campaign, by London-based advertising agency Euro RSCG, is called "anti-retro" and claims to be anti-nostalgic.
Liverpool Beatles tour guide, Phil Coppell, said: "No-one can believe that John Lennon would ever have agreed for his image to be used to advertise a car.
"It is cheapening his memory and there is a lot of very real anger among Beatles fans that Yoko Ono has approved this.
"A lot of Beatles' fans already had a low opinion of Yoko and this merely serves to confirm their worst suspicions."
Dylan Cole, Snohomish, WA around 4 months, 3 weeks ago