Spy red-faced after Facebook pics

British spy chief John Sawers is facing public embarrassment after his daughter posted a photo of herself posing with a gold Kalashnikov rifle on Facebook.

Oxford graduate Corinne Sawers, 23, is seen standing in front of a family Christmas tree holding the gold-plated weapon - similar to those found among Saddam Hussein's treasures after the 2003 Iraq invasion - in her profile pictures,

The Sunday Mirror

reports.

The gun is a decommissioned Kalashnikov and is believed to have been a gift to Corinne's father, MI6 boss Sir John, as a memento of his time in Iraq.

All of Corinne's 873 Facebook friends, and tens of thousands of their friends globally, can see her gun-toting picture on the networking site.

The picture on Corinne Sawers' Facebook page. (SOURCE: Facebook, The Mirror)

"It's a very silly thing for her to do," a former security source told the newspaper.

"Given the sensitivity of her dad's job, she should think twice about what she posts."

It's not the first time Sir John has been left red-faced over photos posted on Facebook.

His wife, Lady Sawers, put up a picture of Sir John wearing skimpy swimming shorts on her Facebook page last May when he was appointed the MI6 top job.

- AAP