A fake profile of missing mum-of-five Sarah Wellgreen has been created on Facebook, causing "great distress" to her family.

The account, which uses suspected murder victim Miss Wellgreen's picture, is sending out friend requests to her loved ones.

The 47-year-old has not been seen since October 9, when she was spotted near her home in Bazes Shaw in New Ash Green.

Her former partner, taxi driver Ben Lamcomba, has denied murdering her and will go on trial later this year.

Volunteers who run the Search for Sarah Wellgreen page on Facebook posted about the fake account.

They said: "We are asking members of our page to please not respond to any requests from anyone posing as Sarah Wellgreen.

"This is obviously done by a very insensitive individual."

Miss Wellgreen's son Lewis Burdett, 23, posted a screenshot of messages he received from the account.

The fake account messaged him saying "How are you today?", to which Lewis replied "You think this is funny do you?"

Lewis then tried to call the 'troll' but he didn't pick up and replied "Lol".

Lewis told the Gravesend Messenger: “How could anyone be so sick!

"It has been so distressing for us all this morning finding this. When we are already struggling to get through each day.”

When the account was questioned by family members asking "who is this?" the profile simply replied "ghost".

Kent Police senior investigating officer DCI Ivan Beasley said: "Kent Police has been notified of a fake social media profile using the name and photograph of suspected murder victim, Sarah Wellgreen.

"This information is being assessed by the investigation team to establish whether any criminal offences have been committed."

Anybody who believes that their account has been duplicated or their image has been used in a bogus social media account can contact the relevant platform to request its removal.