The National Trust has said that an event which was said to have featured re-enactors in Nazi uniforms and memorabilia for sale was ‘unacceptable.’

Complaints were made to the organisation which owns Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire which played host to a living history event organised by the West Wiltshire Military Vehicles Trust.

Attendees at the Second World War event said they were upset after seeing visitors in German Nazi uniforms, with Third Reich eagle and Swastika emblems.

Organisers insisted that the armbands had been part of a historical display rather than for sale, and described the item as a “piece of history”.

John Edward Wardle, the Lacock at War organiser at WWMVT was quoted in the Guardian newspaper as saying: “We are sorry that your complainant was offended and we have investigated and addressed your concerns. I have spoken to various people who attended the show, re-enactors, members of the public, and the show committee, and no one saw anybody dressed in Nazi uniform, or wearing swastika armbands.”

He added: “If someone was dressed in Nazi or SS uniform then they would be asked to remove it and escorted from the show.”

Wardle insisted images showed re-enactors in German army uniforms not Nazi uniforms.

In a statement the National Trust said: “We are aware of concerns raised over a ‘living history’ event at Lacock over the weekend and have contacted the organisers for an urgent explanation.

“The event was organised by the Military Vehicle Trust and included uniforms and materials, which understandably caused distress and led to a complaint.

“We will make it very clear to the MVT that these displays were insensitive, unacceptable and should not be repeated.”