The parents of the dead Syrian toddler were "greedy for the good life in Europe" according to Ukip candidate Peter Bucklitsch.

Bucklitsch - who contested the Ukip nomination for South Thanet with Nigel Farage earlier this year - caused outrage with his tweet, which appeared to blame the boy's parents for his death.

Pictures of Aylan Al-Kurdi's body being recovered from a Turkish beach have been shared thousands of times on social media.

It has become a catalyst for many who want to see Europe's governments do more to address the plight of migrants, many of whom are refugees.

Yet earlier today Mr Bucklitsch tweeted: "The little Syrian boy was well clothed and well fed. He died because his parents were greedy for the good life in Europe.

"Queue jumping costs."

Many people, outraged at Bucklitsch's tweets, took to social media to respond, including former footballer Stan Collymore.

Collymore pointed out that Bucklitsch's own name probably meant his antecedents were either refugees or economic migrants to the UK.

After briefly defending his stance, Bucklitsch deleted his account.

Aylan, his brother Galip, 5, and their mother Rehan, 35, all drowned as they attempted to cross from Turkey to the Greek Island of Kos.

Dad Abdullah told Al Aan TV reporter Jenan Moussa he was "devastated" by the deaths of his family, who he was unable to save after the boat they were sailing in capsized.

The family had ultimately been attempting to reach Canada, one of their relatives in Kobane told a Canadian newspaper today.

After contesting Farage for the Ukip nomination for South Thanet, Peter Bucklitsch stood in the London Borough of Wimbledon.

Previously, Bucklitsch stood for the Liberal Democrats in South Thanet in 2010.

To donate to Syria Crisis Appeal run by the British Red Cross, click here, and Save The Children here.

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