A COPPER was forced to apologise today after tweeting about the Liverpool car park fire in a seemingly snide reference to the Hillsborough disaster.

Following the New Year’s Eve blaze that destroyed 1,600 cars next to the Liverpool Echo Arena, Northumbria Police PC Curtis Ritchie posted: “Have they started blaming the police yet?”

The tweet led to a flood of complaints, with one telling the force it was a “disparaging remark about Scousers.”

Another said: “Can you please ask [him] to elaborate on his recent comments to the people of Liverpool and particularly families of the 96” who died in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster.

South Yorkshire Police blamed the Liverpool football fans for their own deaths.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “The officer involved has expressed regret for any offence and upset caused and he has received management advice regarding his actions.”