For years, the hall of fame did not deem the British group worthy of inclusion into its ranks . . . and now that they have gained entry, they say it isn't worthy of their presence.

The group was finally picked late last year to join the hall, along with Black Sabbath, Miles Davis, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Blondie, with induction ceremonies planned for 13 March in New York City.

But in a crude letter posted on their website yesterday, the group made it clear that they would not be attending.

Comparing the rock hall to "urine in wine", the handwritten letter said: "We're not coming. We're not your monkeys and so what?

"Fame at $25,000 if we paid for a table, or $15,000 to squeak up in the gallery, goes to a non-profit organisation selling us a load of old famous, " the letter read, apparently referring to the cost of attending the dinner.

A rock hall spokesman said later that each inductee received two free tickets and other tickets were $2,500.

When informed of the group's statement, Susan Evans, executive director of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said: "They are being the outrageous punksters they are, and that's rock and roll."

The Sex Pistols had been eligible for the Rock nd Roll Hall of Fame since 2001, but for the past five years, voters snubbed the groundbreaking punk band in favour of contemporaries such as the Clash, the Police and Talking Heads.

They broke up after just one album, Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols, but left a lasting legacy in rock, as Johnny Rotten and the late Sid Vicious shocked the rock establishment with songs such as 'Anarchy in the UK', 'God Save the Queen' and 'Pretty Vacant'.