A lifelong Manchester City fan has appealed to the club after they cancelled his season ticket - because the electronic cigarette he was ‘smoking’ was mistaken for a real one.

The unidentified supporter was hauled into a side room by City staff after being snapped on CCTV puffing on the cigarette during the clash with Chelsea at the Etihad last month.

City stewards thought the fag was real and promptly cancelled his season ticket - something that is now being appealed with a letter to the club.

‘I was on the concourse at half-time having a drink with a few mates,’ he explained in the note.

‘I took a drag of it and was asked by security to come into a room. I just thought I was going to be asked to explain what it was.

‘I was told they were banned and asked for my season card which I handed over. I was then escorted out of the ground by police.’

Electronic cigarettes are widely used by smokers who are trying to give up by giving a hit of nicotine whilst not releasing any of poisonous toxins that normal cigarettes contain.

They are not lit by the user, and therefore are exempt from government rules restricting the smoking of lit tobacco in a public place.