Online No 10 petition calls for top-level sacking in soldiers' cash-for-stories fiasco

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The outcry put further pressure on Defence Secretary Des Browne, who has said he will take full responsibility for allowing the sailors and Marines to sell their stories.

But it also highlighted anger at the Navy's most senior ranking officers who played a key role in the decision.

Click here to sign the petition

Retired Navy officer Mike Critchley of Warship World magazine submitted the online petition, demanding that the person who ultimately took the decision be "named and sacked".

A statement on the Downing Street site reads: "We the undersigned consider the statement to allow members of Her Majesty's forces to sell their stories to the media to be a major government failure - and PR disater for the Royal Navy - and 'heads should roll' at the highest level."

Westminster observers said it was extraordinary that No 10 agreed for the petition to be posted.

It was seen as a further attempt by the Prime Minister to distance himself from Mr Browne.

Lt Cmdr Critchley said he was inspired to create the petition by the many phone calls, emails and messages he has received about the affair, adding: "There's a lot of anger out there."