A disgraced parish councillor's military past has been exposed as a lie.

Josh King resigned from Wroughton Parish Council last week over what was initially said to be 'a breach of conduct'.

The 62-year-old was forced to step down after he was outed on social media by The Walter Mitty Hunters Club - a group which unmasks impostors who pose as soldiers.

Mr King claimed he had served during the Falklands War with 11 Platoon, D Coy, 2 Parachute Regiment in 1982.

He also said he served in Northern Ireland with 2 Parachute Regiment in 1985.

In an interview with the Adver in 2016, Mr King claimed he was shot 21 times by the IRA, which left him on death’s door, prone for two years and ultimately wheelchair-bound.

He also told this paper that his unit was ambushed by IRA fighters lying in wait in Belfast and that he was one out of the 11 servicemen on duty making it out alive that day.

At a wreath-laying ceremony to make 40 years since the end of the Falklands War Wroughton Parish Council gave Mr King the honour of leading the parade.

He was spotted wearing a military medal on the left-hand side of his jacket in the ceremony on June 14.

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But after the revelations came to light, Mr King admitted the medals were not his.

In a Facebook post now deleted, he wrote: “My cousin who I never got on with he got to serve and me well I grew bitter and jealous.

“He left me his medals, I could have worn them on the left, but that was good enough.

“The lies got bigger along with the stories.”

In another post since deleted, Mr King said he was sorry to all those who had served.

“I was involved in a car accident that put me in this chair,” he added.

Wroughton Parish Council chairman John Hewer said Mr King had let down his colleagues and the community.

He wrote: "Wroughton Parish Council is deeply disappointed by the actions of former councillor, Mr Josh King, who resigned on June 21. Mr King has misled the parish council and the community with regards to his military service.

"Mr King has since apologised and is no longer associated with Wroughton Parish Council. No further comment will be made."

After Mr King was approached for comment by the Adver, his son Ben said the parish council had done "nothing to support my father".

Wroughton Parish Council declined to comment on those allegations.