Spelling mistake leads to irony on social media and appeals to keep the error.

Famed for its beautiful beach, the town of Sabaudia south of Rome welcomed a new - albeit short-lived - attraction yesterday.

A traffic sign painted on Via Conte Verde read "Sotp" - instead of Stop - triggering hundreds of ironic comments on social media.

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The mayor of the seaside town, Giada Gervasi, acknowledged the episode and said the company in charge of the road markings had apologised for its mistake which it would rectify. "Sotp will return to Stop...", she wrote on Facebook.

The company duly fixed the typo but not before a photo of 'Sotp' went viral.

Among the sea of comments were numerous appeals to keep the sign the way it was. Some suggested it could turn into a visitor attraction, others expressed their thanks for giving them a laugh at a time when it was most needed.

There was even one bold proposal that the town itself should be inspired to change its name to the more exotic-sounding Sbadaiua.