A LOCAL councillor has apologised for a Facebook post in which she wrote how she hoped President Donald Trump would be "assassinated".

Redcar and Cleveland councillor Laura Benson reacted with anger when she saw a report that Mr Trump was lifting a ban on elephant trophies being brought into the US.

The Liberal Democrat councillot wrote on her private Facebook account: "Someone wants to cut the orange ****** head off and use that as a trophy or sell it for rubber.

"I hope he is assassinated. His wife wants to be ashamed of herself too. Standing by that."

Ms Benson, who was elected to the local authority in March, has since apologised for the remarks.

A spokesman for Redcar Liberal Democrats said: "Councillor Benson's remarks on a private social media account, although not meant literally, were highly inappropriate and in very bad taste. She has apologised unreservedly for any offence this may have caused."

The comment was written on a news story posting from The Independent.