BOLTON’S UKIP branch has been criticised for using swear words in a post from its official facebook page.

The UKIP Bolton Branch page posted a response to comments from a local Liberal Democrat candidate in which swear words were used.

The branch has since stated that the comments were posted by member Noel Harris, who is one of the administrators of the page.

They said he was intending to post the message from his personal account — but accidentally switched to the branch page.

Nonetheless, the group has temporarily suspended the page as it carries out a full investigation.

​The post — which followed comments from Lib Dem candidate for Bromley Cross David Walsh — has been described as “disgusting” by his party.

Mr Walsh said he was “surprised” to see the profanities in the comments from UKIP.

He said: “I wasn’t awfully shocked or anything but it was a surprised to see those words.

“I just thought it was a bit embarrassing for them really.

Mr Walsh had posted comments regarding UKIP’s environmental policies, suggesting they are in favour of fracking and had included a link to the national party’s manifesto.

He said: “I do think this shows that you have to be quite careful on social media.”

Little Lever and Darcy Lever Councillor Paul Richardson said he was “99.9 per cent sure” the post had been sent by the official page by accident.

He said: “I thought it was best to take the site down temporarily and look into what has happened.

“But I am almost certain it is the case that Noel has accidentally posted as the party page when he intended to post from his personal account.

“While I would have chosen different words myself, I did not disagree with the sentiments he was putting forward — which was arguing that our local policies on things like fracking are different from the national party.

“The colloquial language he used was ill-advised but I would argue it was not at the top of the scale in terms of offensive language.”

A post on the Bolton Liberal Democrat Page said: “Absolutely disgusting behaviour from UKIP Bolton Branch. Swearing at someone purely for posting a link to UKIPs own manifesto of all things.”