Two held over Bradley Lowery football 'taunts'

Image source, PA

Bradley loved Sunderland AFC and was invited on to the pitch at the Stadium of Light

Two men have been arrested following reports of football supporters using an image of Bradley Lowery to taunt opposition fans.

An investigation was launched following Sheffield Wednesday's Friday night home match against Sunderland.

Bradley supported the North East club before he died of cancer aged six in 2017.

South Yorkshire Police said two men - aged 31 and 27 - are being held on suspicion of outraging public decency.

They were arrested on Saturday evening and both remain in custody.

Sheffield Wednesday previously said it would support the investigation after an image of the alleged public order offence appeared online.

"We roundly condemn this outrageous and utterly deplorable behaviour," a spokesman said.

"We can only apologise for the undoubted distress caused to Bradley's family and friends."

Image source, PA

Bradley passed away in 2017, aged six

Wednesday were beaten by Sunderland 3-0 at the game on Friday.

Bradley, of Blackhall Colliery, County Durham, was a Sunderland fan, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma - a rare type of cancer - when he was 18 months old.

He went on to be the club's mascot and became "best mates" with his hero, striker Jermain Defoe.

His mother, Gemma Lowery, said in a statement through the Bradley Lowery Foundation that police had been in touch to check on her wellbeing and were taking it very seriously.

She said: "Understandably people are angry, if I wasn't so upset I'd be angry too.

"Bradley was and still is well loved in the football community, which I'm eternally grateful for, but I must ask that everyone lets the police do their job, and deal with the low lives."

She added: "I want to thank Sheffield Wednesday, for their quick condemnation, and the support their fans have shown.

"Like we always say, cancer has no colours, and as we all know it can affect anyone at any time."

Well-wishers raised more than £700,000 in 2016 to pay for Bradley to be given antibody treatment in New York, but medics then found his cancer had grown and his family was told his illness was terminal.