An 18 year-old political candidate has apologised for writing offensive tweets when he was 14.

Would-be Conservative candidate Callum Warriner tweeted that Dover is "dull and boring" and swore on the social media site when complaining that the bus was late.

But today - four years later - his comments were were duplicated and posted on Twitter this morning (Friday) by an anonymous social media user.

Callum, who hopes to represent the Buckland ward on the district council, and the town ward in the parish elections, said: "I did it and I can't take it back. I'm sorry if I offended anyone."

"I'm 18, I'm an adult, I hold my hands up" - Callum Warriner

Conservative Parliamentary candidate Charlie Elphicke said the situation was another example why "anonymous hate tweeting" should be stamped out.

"What people say when they're between 12 and 15 should not be held against them," he said.

"Part of growing up is a learning process and it's important we encourage our young people, and encourage them to get into politics."

He called anonymous trolls the "scourge of society" and called for it to be stamped out.

Mr Warriner was walking back from school when he was texted by a friend about the news.

He told the Mercury: "I'm 18, I'm an adult, I hold my hands up."

"It was before I became interested in politics. It's a learning curve. I've learned from it and moved on. I'm a better person for it."