A Carlisle councillor has sparked a huge Twitter row over a comment about people claiming benefits.

Conservative Fiona Robson, who represents Stanwix Urban on Carlisle City Council, posted the tweet in relation to the high-profile NHS march in London yesterday.

The event saw 250,000 people take to the streets of Westminster in defence of the health service.

They included many Cumbrians campaigners who are fighting Success Regime plans to cut local health services, including maternity, and close community hospital beds.

But Mrs Robson was met with a backlash after asking: "How many people claiming to be unfit to work were fit enough to travel to & physically MARCH around London yesterday?!"

In the hours after posting the tweet she received 500 replies, including angry and outraged comments from both local campaigners and national Twitter users.

One asked: "I wonder how your disabled/unfit voters will judge this comment, Fiona? You call yourself Christian. Would Jesus say this?"

Another said: "My terminally ill sister, declared fit to work but given til April/May to live, managed 5 mins. Thanks for your interest."

When contacted by the News & Star, Mrs Robson admitted she had been "naive" with her original post. She said has had incredibly abusive tweets from some, and as a result regretted her initial post.

But she stood by her question, saying it was not meant to attack those on benefits, simply stimulate debate.

She later tweeted: "So ... likely ... we are not permitted to ask questions any more at all without being accused of all sorts of things!"

Then added: "Okay - I apologise for offending anyone. I asked a question."

The latter tweets have also received dozens of replies.

They also automatically appeared on her Facebook page and she said in hindsight, she should only have posted it on there as the people she is connected with know her and her background.

"First of all it was naive me to post something without realising there would be this backlash," she said.

"But on the other hand, you should be able to ask a question and stimulate debate without having to take this.

"I've found a lot of people want to misconstrue what I've said because I'm a Conservative and a Christian.

"I know a lot about invisible illnesses and am not making a judgement there. It's a bad job if in the 21st century society you can't open a polite debate without people choosing to be outraged."

She stressed that she is happy to support those in her ward who are unfit to work obtain benefits if they are struggling.