The comments, made by Kelly Osbourne, came after Lydon he had insulted her father Ozzy Osboune early last week.

"Ozzy now acting like a senile delinquent is unimpressive. The sly innuendo of promoting drug abuse and catatonic stupidity offends me. Ozzy is clearly a victim, and selling that loser lifestyle shit to other people equally victimises them," Lydon told the Sunday Mercury.

He added: "That's a shame. Ozzy’s a working class man like me, yet he allows that to happen. By acting like he does all the time he implies that we’re all stupid, the working classes. But we’re not, you know."

Osbourne told Closer magazine: "People only say things like this when they want attention. And guess what? He has a book to promote! The truth is, I don’t think he's ever met my father. I think it's sad when you resort to talking s*it about someone else in order to get yourself press."

She added: "Stop being such a bitter old queen, John! You’re better than that."

Meanwhile, Sex Pistol's John Lydon has said that being back with Public Image Ltd is one of the happiest times he has had.

(by Holly Frith)