Cricket fans hijack stadium message board with disgraceful jokes

A fan messaging board at the fourth Test between India and England has caused a major controversy with a number of distasteful jokes posted.

Fans were encouraged to send in messages discussing the Test to be posted on a giant display screen inside the Wankhede Stadium.

However it backfired horribly when fake messages from infamous figures such as Adam Johnson and Josef Fritzl, as well as Madeleine McCann, were displayed.

Former professional footballer Johnson is currently serving a six-year prison sentence for child sex offences, but one fan posted: "Lovely to see so many young cricket fans here today! - Adam Johnson."

"I came here in memory of my father Josef, who loved to watch cricket with me in the basement in our home country, Austria - Elisabeth Fritzl", another fan posted in reference to the daughter of Josef Fritzl, who was held captive by her father for 24 years.

Another message referenced the ongoing political drama in the UK, with one fan pretending to be anti-immigration MEP and prominent BREXIT supporter Nigel Farage: "Great to see so many Indian faces... In India! :) C mon England! - Nigel Farage".

Fans also took a dig at an Irish Republican Army member who died from a hunger strike in 1981, while another message referenced missing British girl Madeleine McCann.

Paul Burnham, spokesman for unofficial England supporters' group 'The Barmy Army', described the content of the texts as a "no-go area".

He told the BBC: "It's a very sick thing to do. 'We're 99 per cent certain it is not anybody connected with us. If it was, we would not react well to that in terms of their membership.

'I completely condemn the messages. People shouldn't be allowed to do things like that and get away with them."