GREENWICH Council is supporting plans for two new Thames river crossings - and so is the Dear Leader's pet pussy.

Hours after launching a campaign called Bridge the Gap as an exclusive on the front of its weekly propaganda paper Greenwich Time, the council's petition was inundated with fake account names.

Those names were then automatically published on the local authority's Twitter account.

Thanks to the council's feed, Twitter users learned that "the Dear Leader's pet pussy has just pledged support for #bridgethegap."

They were rapidly joined by supporters calling themselves "some stupid berk", "Royal Greenwich are gormless" and "Auto tweeting was a bad idea". The online strategy was quickly dropped.

Under Transport for London proposals currently being consulted on, a new tunnel would link Greenwich Peninsula with Silvertown across the river.

There are also plans for a ferry crossing from Thamesmead to Beckton at Gallions Reach while, as News Shopper reported last week, the option of a future road crossing on that part of the river is also included in the consultation.

News Shopper: Sir Robin Wales

A joint campaign backing a new tunnel and bridge is due to be officially launched next week by Greenwich Council and Newham Council, which is led by mayor Sir Robin Wales.

Speaking about the issue earlier this year, Sir Robin, who was knighted in 2000, said: "We have lost four valuable years since the Thames Gateway Bridge project was mothballed. A tunnel without a further bridge at Beckton will not meet the present demand and is wholly inadequate for the increased traffic expected in the future.

"The Silvertown crossing has always been seen as complementary to the Thames Gateway Bridge, rather than as a freestanding development. Without a bridge, there is no integrated regeneration and transport offer in east London.

"A river crossing at Beckton is key to the regeneration of the area. Therefore, the proposed ferry must be delivered quickly. Both residents and businesses on the north and south sides of the river would benefit from the Thames Gateway Bridge and therefore plans for another crossing should not be forgotten."

Leader of Greenwich Council Councillor Chris Roberts said: "New river crossings are vital for this part of London."

To have your say, visit tfl.gov.uk/rivercrossings