MARLBOROUGH police sergeant Clare Wallace has hit back at a social media troll who targeted her after she tweeted about giving her baby son CPR after he nearly choked.

Sgt Wallace, 37, who is still on maternity leave with her eight-month-old was shocked when a man sent some strange replies and then added an expletive tweet about strangulation.

She said: “Basically an account followed me and sent a few slightly odd tweets in reply to things I had tweeted, as obviously I don’t post my own work stuff at the moment. The tweets weren’t awful but they were insinuating police were stupid.

"He then sent a tweet in reference to my pinned tweet about baby CPR. My profile quite clearly says I am on maternity leave and I had posted it after my son choked. He sent an expletive tweet about strangulation.

"I won’t engage with anyone trolling and screenshot then reported it to Twitter.

“The account was removed soon after as others also reported it too. I have been trolled before but nothing of that nature.”

Mrs Wallace, who has been the Neighbourhood Policing Team sergeant since May 2014, said that the police deal with a number of people who also get bullied on social media.

“We get lots of contact from people asking for advice about what to do about trolling, social media disputes and similar things," she said.

"It’s a downside to social media and most people using it are not like that, but no one should have to be subjected to things like it. You couldn’t even print what he posted.

"Sadly some people do it and those it’s aimed at can be very upset by it, hence why I tweeted so that others know what to do and have the confidence to tackle it.”

Social media bullying has been the centre of a number of campaigns in recent years, with a new trend on Twitter promoting the police and public’s work to stop bulling. The hashtag #StandUpToBullying is seeing police officers and others upload images of themselves holding a sign saying I pledge to stop bullying, followed by the hashtag.

A set of guidelines available on Get Safe Online website have been published to help people feel more secure whilst using the internet. For more information on safer internet use visit www.getsafeonline.org

A spokesperson from Wiltshire Police said: "If people feel threatened or a crime has been committed then they should call us on 101."