'˜Sorry for my stupid Facebook message'

And Tory Jim Marsh has issued a public apology, admitting his comment about a young woman frightened by a man trying to get into her car, was “stupid and silly.”

Coun Marsh, who also serves on South Ribble Council, has been roundly condemned since writing the post on the 18-year-old’s Facebook page.It is the second time in a matter of months he has suffered a backlash for inappropriate messages on social media.

Now he has closed his Facebook page, saying: “I would advise any other councillors or others in public office to do the same. I’ve learned the hard way.”

The teenager wrote she had been frightened when a man tried the door of her car at a filling station in Walton-le-Dale. But Coun Marsh commented: “Just looked at her picture . . . can’t blame him really. Lol.”

Coun Marsh said he was truly sorry and revealed he had been insulted and threatened “on a daily basis” since making the post.

“My initial reaction to the story on Facebook of the young lady . . . was completely wrong and reprehensible,” he confessed. “It was supposed to be a joke, but it backfired in spectacular fashion. There was no malice intended whatsoever and was stupid and silly rather than nasty. Unfortunately it wasn’t received in that way. I have a couple of daughters of my own and I wouldn’t have liked them to be involved in the same scenario.”