Police have warned social media users they could face arrest if they "troll" a wanted drug dealer by mocking his distinctive hairstyle.

An online appeal to catch the criminal has resulted in tens of thousands of people posting joke comments.

Jermaine Taylor, 21, is wanted for breaching his licence conditions after being released from prison in December 2018.

Gwent Police launched the social media appeal to find the convicted drug dealer, but it backfired when people began making jokes about his hairstyle, with one saying it had been "pushed back more times than Brexit".

The picture shows Taylor with a large, bald forehead and two tufts of hair sticking up.

Twitter users joked: "His forehead is bigger than his future," and "that hairline goes further back than Woolworths".

Another quipped: "Looks like his hairline is on the run too."

The large number of comments prompted Gwent Police to warn users that posting abusive material could be against the law.

Many users seemed undeterred, however, with one adding: "He was last seen in town - police are combing the area," and another joking: "He's vanished into thin hair."

In a statement, Gwent Police warned users against online bullying.

"Please remember that harassing, threatening and abusing people on social media can be against the law," the force said.