People are just realising the grim reason for the lion on Lyle’s Golden Syrup label

PEOPLE are only just realising the grim reason for the lion on Lyle’s Golden Syrup label.

The family favourite – which is Britain’s oldest brand – has had a yellow lion on its tin since 1881.

However people who thought the lion was “just sleeping” have had a rude awakening.

It turns out the logo animal is actually dead.

And to make the sweet treat not sweet at all, he’s also being swarmed by flies.

After being exposed on Reddit, one user said: “This is the most depressing thing I’ve learnt since I found out that the little piggy who went to market was not going on a shopping trip.”

Another person wrote: “I did not know this. That’s pretty dark.”

A third added: “My whole life has been a lie.”

It is understood founder of the brand Abram Lyle was a very religious man and wanted the logo to reference a verse in the bible.

The passage tells how biblical strongman Samson killed a lion with his bare hands.

A swarm of bees was then seen surrounding the carcass.

Samson then took honey from the hive and fed it to his parents, without telling them where he got it from.