The absence of steak on the Wetherspoon Steak Night menu was the result of a precautionary measure due to mislabelling, the chain's supplier has said.

Wetherspoon customers were left disappointed when the company pulled the meat from the menu at its 900 pubs in the UK on Steak Night.

In a statement, supplier Russell Hume said: "The product recall was a precautionary measure because of mislabelling.

"We have no reason to believe that the product was unsafe to eat".

Wetherspoon said the recall meant there might be some unavailability for the next few days.

Some customers were offered quinoa salad with halloumi as an alternative.

One Ellesmere Port diner said she was given chicken instead of steak on her mixed grill.

Chester has two Wetherspoons – The Square Bottle in Foregate Street and the Bull & Strirrup Hotel in Upper Northgate Street.

The Bull & Strirrup re-opened as a Wetherspoons in February, with special guests Ricky Tomlinson and Chris Matheson MP (pictured above).

Reaction on social media ranged from outrage to despair.

Former Big Brother contestant Ellie Young tweeted sad and tearful emojis after saying she went to a Wetherspoon's for the steak club only to discover they had no steaks.

Ian Heath tweeted: "No steak on 'steak night' at the Old Manor in Bracknell. What exactly is a 'supplier failure'?"

Wetherspoon apologised to customers "for the inconvenience".

Spokesman Eddie Gershon said: "We have had a supply issue with our pubs.

"Currently rump steak, sirloin steak and gammon steak are not available, but we hope to resolve this soon."

On its website Wetherspoon describes its steaks as being matured for 35 days.

Explaining its Tuesday steak club special offer, it says: "The beef for our steaks is supplied directly through farm-assured schemes, meaning that cuts have full traceability and that exacting welfare standards have been met.

"We're proud to carry the Quality Standard Mark, a symbol of our farmers' adherence to standards higher than those required by law."