Warning: Fake Geoffrey Hawthorne profile likely to be Hope not Hate seeking to trawl UKIP profiles

Many UKIP members appear to have received a friend request from a veritable old gentleman by the name of Geoffrey Hawthorne overnight - I see he now has 142 mutual friends with me.

Geoffrey Hawthorne
(aged 12)

Mr Hawthorne was apparently born on the 26th August 1925, and claims to have served with the RAF during the War. He includes a number of pictures of himself in RAF uniform, including this picture of himself (right) which is labelled 'Geoffrey Hawthorne circa 1937'. This is remarkable indeed for a man who was born in 1925, as he was apparently a fully qualified RAF pilot at the age of 12.

Then there is the picture (below) of himself sat on the wing of an RAF Hurricane fighter in 1945. The picture is signed by 'George Westlake' and marked '213 Squadron'. Hawthorne claims it features himself with George Westlake, Jono Hordicke, Bernie Wiggleston, Staneley (sic) Matthews and Harold Shipman Snr(!)

Not Geoffrey Hawthorne, but definitely Gp Cpt George
Westlake DSO DFC and friends

As UKIP Derby spokesman David Gale quickly spotted, the picture actually features Joe Lynch, George Westlake, Hank Hancock, Peter Crowther and Freddie Wilson (RCAF), and is currently for sale on EBay

Finally, Mr Hawthorne lists his RAF rank as 'Captain'. The rank of captain does not exist in the RAF.

It would appear that this is a fake profile, designed to allow whoever is behind it to trawl the profiles of UKIP members as happened in the local elections. It is a great shame that those responsible choose to create a fictional war hero for their Walter Mitty attempt, and drag into it the names of genuine war heroes such as the late Group Captain George Westlake DSO DFC. I would recommend that you delete this contact if you have not already done so as it is likely to be a Hope not Hate creation.