The second-largest coffee chain in the world, Costa Coffee, has been questioned after readers were unable to reach gay websites due to a firewall blocking them under a filter named ‘Sexual Orientation’.

Using the coffee shop’s WiFi connection, internet users were unable to connect to websites including PinkNews and StoneWall, the UK’s leading gay rights charity, despite neither of the sites containing any form of adult or explicit content.

A Norton spokesperson told PinkNews that while it is the decision of the individual companies which sites are blocked, “sometimes miscategorisation happen”.

She confirmed that Norton planned to investigate the matter further and discover the reason the sites were deemed inappropriate.

Costa Coffee, the second largest coffee chain in the world, refused to comment on the matter.