Police are investigating after offensive messages about the Hillsborough disaster were posted on Twitter.

The messages were posted from an anonymous account, named Old Holborn, which is believed to be operated by a man living in Braintree.

Earlier this week a number of messages were posted from the account relating to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster and the killing of toddler James Bulger in Liverpool in 1993.

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Essex Police is investigating an allegation of potentially criminal communication through social media.

“The force was contacted shortly after 1pm on Thursday by a resident living in Southport, Merseyside, who was reporting inappropriate and offensive tweets by a man living in Braintree.

“The tweets relate to the recent terrorist strike in Boston, the Hillsborough disaster and the murder of James Bulger.

“Officers are conducting enquiries. Nobody has yet been arrested.”