Keighley Cougars chairman has spoken of his shock at what he called the "sinister hijacking" of the rugby league club's website by supporters of terror group Islamic State.

"It's sinister what's happened and whatever organisation, wherever it is in the world should be using its own media, not hijacking other people's," said chairman Gary Fawcett.

"And I hope police find out who's done this wherever they are and bring them to account."

Mr Fawcett said a major worry was that thousands of youngsters and fans who avidly follow the Cougars online might be exposed to some of the horrific images of death and mutilation now scrolling on its site.

"It is a concern that children might see some of those nightmare images," he said.

Mr Fawcett reassured parents and fans that every step had been taken to remove the offensive "I Love Isis" implanted site.

He said Counter Terrorism police were now involved in removing the site and also that he believed other sites had been targeted in the same way.

"I found out at about 8pm when I was texted by fans to say it had been hi-jacked and I'd been on the site half an hour earlier so it must have been between 7.30pm and then," Mr Fawcett said.

"While we developed the site, we don't host it, that's done by a company in London and they were contacted by one of our directors.

"We have asked our hosting organisation to take down the website as quickly as possible "It was obviously done on a Sunday night when it would be most difficult for anyone to take quick action," Mr Fawcett said.

"Unfortunately it's a terrorist statement and I understand West Yorkshire Police have passed it on to anti-terrorism police.

"This is the first time that anything like this has happened to the Cougars site or I've ever known anything like it," Mr Fawcett said.