Supermarket giants Asda have defended selling a 'wearable England flag', which has raised comparisons to US racist organisation the Ku Klux Klan.

The flag includes a hood, which the supermarket claims is designed to shield England fans from the rain while supporting the Three Lions during next month's World Cup in Brazil.

A number of concerned fans took to social media to express their distaste in the flag, which some believe resembles the hood of the outfits worn by the KKK.

According to The Telegraph, a company spokesperson has defended the design by saying: "We know there's chatter on Twitter about our wearable World Cup flags, but it's simply a flag with a hood – nothing more, nothing less.

"We opted for a hood on our wearable England and Brazilian flags as you never know what the British weather will bring. We want customers to get behind the team without getting wet."

There are reportedly no plans to withdraw the flags from the supermarket shelves.