(Warning: this article contains offensive material that readers may find objectionable) A Twitter campaign to raise money for British Athletics has spectacularly backfired after it was attacked by trolls and offensive messages.

The campaign was done by the National Lottery and showed members of the British Athletics holding up cards that showed the names and contributions of members of the public who had donated money.

However, the campaign has been hijacked by people who changed their name to offensive messages, which were then shared on the official National Lottery Twitter account.

The vile abuse included messages about the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the Hillsborough tragedy, Margaret Thatcher and Jimmy Saville.