The Royal British Legion has suspended all ties with the News of the World. A charity spokeperson, Kevin Hart, appeared on the BBC this morning (Image: BBC)

The Royal British Legion, the country's top armed forces charity, has cut ties with its long-standing campaigning partner the News of the World, expressing disgust at revelations that the tabloid may have hacked into phones belonging to the relatives of dead service personnel.

In a strongly-worded statement published on its website this morning UK time, the RBL said that its decision to "suspend all relations" with the News of the World was an expression of the charity's "revulsion" at what is alleged to have taken place.

"We can't with any conscience campaign alongside News of the World on behalf of armed forces families while it stands accused of preying on these same families in the lowest depths of their misery. The hacking allegations have shocked us to the core," said a spokeperson for the charity.

"Clearly, it would make a mockery of that campaign to go hand-in-hand with News of the World. We think we'll do better without them."

The charity, which comprises 380,000 members, aims to provide support to past and present members of Britain's armed forces, including financial support and legal advice.

News International, the publisher of the News of the World, said that it was "horrified" by the most recent allegations, published in The Daily Telegraph and other newspapers this morning. Personal details corresponding to families of dead service personnel were found in the notes of the private investigator Glenn Mulcaire, who hacked phones for the News of the World.

The RBL will join other organisations in reviewing its advertising account with the News of the World and the wider stable of News International papers. According to a list compiled by the Political Scrapbook, 25 organisations have now announced that they will not advertise with the newspaper.

National outrage over the hacking scandal has gone unabated in the past four days, putting pressure on a number of figures including Prime Minister David Cameron and News International's chief executive Rebekah Brooks, and raising questions about News Corporation's planned takeover of BSkyB.

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