A TAXI driver in Birmingham has been sacked after they reportedly refused to transport boxes of Remembrance Day poppies.

The boxes were meant to be taken by cab from the Perry Common Royal British Legion Club in Kingstanding to Aston Villa's ground Villa Park yesterday afternoon.

Taxi firm KMR Cars said the driver had since been sacked for failing to alert the company the boxes had not been collected and it “apologised for the outrage” caused.

West Midlands Police are investigating the circumstances and were seen at both the firm’s Birmingham premises and the club earlier today.

The force is also looking into “threats” made to a taxi company.

KMR posted two messages on its Facebook page, saying it had launched an investigation after claims of a “driver's refusal to accompany a passenger who wished to transport poppies".

It added: “KMR Cars as a company acknowledges and has the most utmost respect for those who fought and put their lives on the line for all of us present today and must be deservedly be remembered on 11 November with the poppy being a symbol of such sacrifice."

The firm said it received the call for the booking at 1pm on Thursday and while its log showed the journey has having been completed, it said it was clear it “had not been”.

A spokesperson for The Royal British Legion told the BBC: "We take the view that remembrance honours the sacrifices and contributions our Armed Forces community have made in defence of freedom, and so how people choose to remember, or not to, must be a matter of personal choice.

"If remembrance became compulsory it would lose its meaning and significance."