A 21-YEAR-OLD Burnley student has been charged with racially abusing the former football star Stan Collymore on Twitter.

Police said Joshua Cryer, who is from the Coal Clough Lane area of the town, was accused of a racial public order offence and a further public order offence.

The law student, who is studying at Newcastle University, allegedly sent Stan Collymore abusive messages on the social network website on Friday night.

The ex-England international re-tweeted the offending posts to his 170,000-plus followers, and reported the alleged abuse to police.

An investigation was launched by Northumbria Police after the force was informed of an allegation received by Staffordshire Police.

The student was arrested on Saturday in Jesmond, Newcastle, and was later charged with a Section Five racial public order offence and a Section Five public order offence.

A spokesman for Northumbria Police said: “On Friday night just after midnight police received a complaint of racist comments that had been made on Twitter.

“Officers are carrying out inquiries.”

Mr Collymore, 40, who is originally from Cannock, played for a number of top Premier League clubs including Liverpool, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

He now works as a pundit for talkSPORT. He also campaigns against racism and supports the Depression Alliance charity.

Cryer, an amateur sportsman, has played for Borrowdale United FC in Burnley.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said he was due to appear before Newcastle Magistrates on Monday, January 23.