A Twitter prankster has set up a fake account in the name of council leader Lord True.

The anonymous joker has been cracking one-liners to a growing list of followers - including Housing Minister Grant Shapps - behind the guise of the Conservative peer.

It comes amid a growing trend of “internet trolls” targeting public figures, posting both humorous and abusive messages.

The joker has used an official-looking photograph of York House, the authority’s Twickenham headquarters, in an apparent bid to draw in unwitting followers.

The @LordTrue account described the East Sheen councillor as the “boss man at Richmond Council” and a “political geezer” and has been following Lady Gaga and Simon Cowell on the social media website. He first started posting tongue-in-cheek comments on Tuesday, March 13, writing: “In a fight, East Sheen could beat Charlie Sheen, no problem. A piece of p***. I wouldn’t even break into a sweat. Ready when you are Charlie.”

He also referred to the council’s uncertified CCTV cars blunder when it unlawfully issued more than 18,500 parking penalties between April 2009 and April 2011.

He said: “After the spy car fiasco, I’ve been in touch with the Pentagon about using a couple of drones to keep tabs on parking violators in Richmond.”

And poking fun at the council leader’s dress sense on Thursday, March 15, he tweeted: “Which cords shall I wear today Richmond? The chunky mustard ones or the narrower ‘ochre’ coloured ones? Decisions, decisions.”

Twitter users keeping tabs on the @LordTrue comments included community groups, the Conservative Party and Mr Shapps, a cabinet minister in the Coalition Government and Conservative MP for Welwyn Hatfield.

The bogus Lord True has been following figures from the worlds of politics and entertainment, such as Boris Johnson, David Cameron’s press office, Zac Goldsmith, Vince Cable and rapper Eminem.

Lord True said in a statement: “This Twitter account is not written, or read, by me and in no way represents my thoughts or views.

“If anyone wants to follow the work of our team at the council they should follow @LBRUT instead.”