COMEDIAN Jimmy Carr was heckled by a fan last night after sparking fury with a joke about soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Carr came under fire after telling an audience at the Manchester Apollo: "Say what you like about the servicemen amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan, but we are going to have a ******* good Paralympic team in 2012."

The joke at Friday night's show was slammed by soldiers and disabled heroes, who said it was 'out of order' and 'idiotic'.

The comedian later apologised for any offence caused and said it had been 'a silly joke'. But Carr, 37, was barracked when he got back on stage for his final Apollo gig last night.

After he failed to repeat the joke an audience member shouted: "Do you know any jokes about amputees?"

Carr replied: "Funnily enough I do. It's coming up in the second half but it's not the one that got me into trouble. I offended some people. I offend everyone - I like to cover all bases. Servicemen are having a difficult time so I'm going to leave well alone if that's okay." He was then applauded by the audience.

Carr was performing just after the launch of the Poppy Appeal ahead of Remembrance Sunday next month.

Even while his routine was going on, the Ministry of Defence was in the process of confirming the death of Corporal James Oakland, 26, from New Moston, Manchester, who had died in a bomb blast in Helmand, Afghanistan, the previous day.

Rochdale war hero Martyn Gibbons - who legs were seriously damaged by shrapnel in a rocket attack in Afghanistan - criticised the joke.

MBE-winning Martin - who was initially confined to a wheelchair and has battled to walk unaided again - said: "You go over there and do the best you can and you don't expect to have the mickey taken out of you. It is not soldiers' fault if they are injured. This is out of order."

Manchester's double Paralympic Beijing gold medallist Sarah Storey said: "What he said was uneducated, uncouth and idiotic. But if you don't like what he says, you shouldn't go to his shows. For some comedians, that's their style."

Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth said: "Our brave armed forces put their lives on the line for all of us and deserve the utmost respect."

And Conservative shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox added: "This goes beyond the pale."

Befoire last night's show Carr said: "I've got nothing but respect for the young men and women who put their lives on the line for this country. I've visited the military hospital in Selly Oak, Birmingham, and the rehabilitation centre in Hedley Court on many occasions to meet seriously injured young men. I will continue to support them in any way I can.

"My thoughts are with the servicemen and their families, especially on Remembrance Sunday. "I'm sorry if anyone was offended but that's the kind of comedy I do. If a silly joke draws attention to the plight of these servicemen then so much the better but that was not my intention. "My intention was only to make people laugh."