Is that appropriate? Parents dress their children up as accused drug mules Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly for village fete Picture of girls taken at Strangford in County Down, Northern Ireland, has gone viral online and caused a stir on Twitter Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly in Peru jail awaiting trial They say they were kidnapped at gunpoint to unknowingly smuggle drugs from Peru to Spain It's always tricky coming up with an original fancy dress costume for the village fete. One family, however, appears to have gone with a current affairs theme - dressing up their children as accused drug mules Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly. Dressed in the same outfits, their hair in the same styles, stood with suitcases and holding a sign that says: 'The Peru 2. Drugs is for mugs...' the two young girls look like miniature versions of the girls who await their trial in Peru. Caused a stir: The photo of two young children dressed as the accused drug mules Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly has gone viral online The picture, which has been posted online, was taken at the weekend on the village green in Strangford, Co Down, Northern Ireland, about 20 miles south east of Belfast, reportedly during the village summer festival. In the background parents and children surround a bouncy castle and other games. According to a local resident, there is a fancy dress competition every year at the fete; it is not known if the children won or not, but there's no doubting the resemblance they have to Melissa Reid, from Lenzie near Glasgow, and Michaella McCollum Connolly, from Dungannon in Northern Ireland, who claim they were kidnapped and forced to unknowingly smuggle drugs from Peru to Spain. The resident, who preferred not to be named, said he was 'appalled' at seeing the picture of the two girls. He said: 'I'm absolutely appalled. I'm a parent and I have absolutely no idea whether the the drug mules in Peru are guilty or innocent. So to ride on the back of their notoriety like this is really sad. The photo has received a flurry of comments on Twitter, with reactions ranging from incredulous to comical and also support for raising awareness of the accused girls' plight. Many find the stunt funny, posting messages including: 'OMG DYING LAUGHING...' 'Hilarious,' 'Hahahaha,' 'Made my day,' and 'Can't help but find this hilarious.' Another says: 'Bit of a change from the normal fete costume. But shows solidarity for Peru drug girls. Others feel torn by the gesture; one person says: 'This isn't appropriate, but rather funny.' Another says: 'Can't decide if this is funny, or wrong... or both' While some take offense to the political stand. 'Unbelievable,' one Twitter user writes, 'Now I'll be making my kids do funny stuff in the future but this is insane and very very wrong,' says another. 'Why would you do that?!?' someone questions. Irish Michaella McCollum Connolly (L) and British Melissa Reid (R) were detained allegedly with 11 kilograms of cocaine on their way to Madrid, Spain, at the international airport Jorge Chavez in Callao, near Lima, Peru Up until now Reid, from Glasgow, and McCollum Connolly, from Northern Ireland - but not close to the village fete - have insisted they are innocent. Reid's father William Reid told the media last week he wants his daughter to plead guilty, work with authorities and tell them everything she knows. 'If that's the Peruvian law, regardless of the mitigating circumstances, then you are as well pleading guilty rather than defending that to the nth degree and be sitting there with 15 years that you're trying to appeal and reduce. Cuffed: The pair could spend up to three years in jail in Peru as they await their trial The father of Melissa Reid, right, has urged her to plead guilty to avoid up to 15 years in prison if found guilty in a trial. McCollum Connolly, left, and Reid claim they were abducted by gun-toting Colombian gangsters in Ibiza who threatened them and their families if they did not do as they were told If you're adamant that you're innocent, you don't believe that you're even going to be given a sentence,' he said. The pair could spend up to three years in jail awaiting trial. Did you see these children in fancy dress? Email: helen.collis@dailymail.co.uk