A DUP election worker has remained defiant after mocking Catholic voters in Upper Bann as "taigs" and blasting the Sinn Fein candidate as a "tramp".

Roberta McNally from Lurgan made the comments on Facebook.

The DUP has said she is not a member of the party.

However, Mrs McNally signed Upper Bann candidate David Simpson's nomination papers and is quoted as a supporter on his election literature.

She also features in numerous photographs canvassing with DUP politicians, including one where Mr Simpson has his arm around her.

Her comments on Facebook came as it emerged the UUP and DUP had failed to agree to a single unionist candidate in Upper Bann.

In a comment which has since been removed, she said: "Unionists attacking unionists on social media, taigs must love it !!".

She also turned her ire to Sinn Fein candidate Catherine Seeley, labelling her a "tramp".

It follows an incident last week where new DUP Mayor of Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Darryn Causby refused to be photographed with Ms Seeley when the pair received their chains as the first mayor and deputy mayors of the new council.

Ms Seeley has been targeted online previously when she was working as a teacher at Belfast Boys Model.

She resigned after internet trolls complained about a Sinn Fein member working as a teacher in the strongly Protestant area.

Ms McNally has not commented publicly over the emerging media storm but posted a picture on her Facebook page on Saturday that read "Keep calm and revenge will be sweet".

Ms Seeley has called for the DUP to publicly distance itself from the statements.

Belfast Telegraph