[Cherie]

Merseyside Police have issued a warning after an “incorrect” name for the alleged Southport attacker was widely circulated online.

Inaccurate posts by social media sleuths about the identity of the perpetrator have received millions of views and engagements.

A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, remains in custody accused of murder and attempted murder following the incident.

Sunder Katwala, director of the thinktank British Future, said a fake news channel seemed to have invented a fake name and run a false story.

Some of those “sharing that false information” include actor Laurence Fox and former kickboxer Andrew Tate, Mr Katwala said, posting on X.

Mr Katwala said the “pace” with which misinformation was spreading after the incident “presents important challenges to social media platforms and ultimately for policymakers as regulators and lawmakers if platforms cannot respond.”