UKIP election candidates are being warned to close their social media accounts in a bid to avoid negative media publicity.

The stance, which has come from party chairman Paul Oakden during confidential talks with regional branch chairs, has been leaked online by disgruntled activists.

It follows a series of embarrassing revelations across the country about UKIP election hopefuls during recent years in the run-up to polling day.

One of the most infamous examples was at Worcestershire County Council where activist Eric Kitson resigned just 11 days after being elected in Stourport after his Facebook page was found crammed with anti-Jewish, anti-Muslim rants, sparking a police investigation.

Activist Richard Delingpole, another candidate, came in for criticism after Photoshopping himself next to Adolf Hitler in a bid to poke fun at rival Tories searching social media.

UKIP still has two seats at County Hall and holds more than 140 nationwide after gaining 23 per cent of the vote in the English county council elections of 2013 - and is anxious to avoid any repeat cock-ups under Paul Nuttall's leadership.

The minutes of a meeting between Mr Oakden and regional party volunteers have been published online, saying "all candidates should close their accounts", something he emphasised twice during the briefing.

It is not yet known if the diktat will be fed back across the country, but some senior UKIP figures in the county say they are surprised by it.

Councillor Stuart Cross, who sits on the county council, said: "I'm on Twitter myself but I rarely tweet, I just tend to watch what others do.

"I haven't been told about this, it's quite an unusual line to go down - I suspect it will be up to the candidates to make their own decisions.

"I've certainly never been told what to do, neither myself or Peter (Cllr Peter Bridle, a fellow UKIP county councillor)."

James Goad, who stood in Worcester at the last General Election, said: “It’s ridiculous.

“We’ll be using social media during the elections because it’s the best way to communicate with our supporters.

Worcester News:

“I don’t know the way in which this was communicated during the meeting, I’ve only seen the published text, but it’s an unrealistic request.

“Use it, but use it responsibly.”

Richard Chamings, a former UKIP parliamentary candidate in West Worcestershire, said: "This problem is partly because at the last elections, the Tories had a whole department trying to dig up dirt on our candidates.

"They were trying to find stuff out, dragging stuff up from years ago.

"You have to ask yourself, for those candidates on social media, how much good is it doing them being on it?

"But then you've got Donald Trump tweeting like mad, it's the way things seem to be these days."