Ukip leader Paul Nuttall 'gave witness statement' to Hillsborough investigation

Ukip leader Paul Nuttall said he spent three hours giving a witness statement to the criminal investigation into the Hillsborough disaster.

The under-fire parliamentary hopeful faced the resignation of two senior officials on Monday in protest at the party's "crass insensitivity" over the tragedy.

More: Two senior Liverpool Ukip officials quit over Hillsborough 'insensitivity'

Mr Nuttall faced a fierce backlash and calls to resign as an MEP after it emerged claims that he lost close personal friends at Hillsborough were false.

During a radio hustings with other candidates in the Stoke-on-Trent Central by-election, the party leader insisted he had apologised to the "people that matter".

He told BBC Radio 5 Live's Breakfast he spent "three hours yesterday morning in Operation Resolve giving a witness statement".