TWO police officers are being investigated for gross misconduct after they sent a selfie from the scene of the Shoreham Airshow disaster.

Sussex Police have said they will “thoroughly investigate” the accusations after two officers, based in Brighton, took and sent a selfie from the scene of the airshow disaster, which left 11 people dead.

The alleged selfie was sent in a private message to a colleague who then reported them to the force’s professional standards department, The Argus can reveal.

The officers are now being investigated for “gross misconduct in relation to their use of social media” a spokesman for the force said.

They are understood to have also used an offensive message in a hashtag statement in the message.

The force has said the allegation is “particularly upsetting, and could detract from the professionalism of a huge number of colleagues who have worked so tirelessly on this operation.”

Sussex Police urged members of the public over the weekend of the Shoreham Airshow disaster to consider the “thoughts and feelings” of the families and loved ones of the victims before posting pictures and video online – adding it could be “very distressing” to share images of the crash.

In the disaster at the Shoreham Airshow on August 22 a Hawker Hunter stunt jet crashed into the A27 leaving 11 people dead – sparking a huge police operation which is still ongoing.

For one week the A27 remained closed as officials from 23 organisations worked at the scene to try and piece together the crash and identify the victims.

Superintendent Lisa Bell of Sussex Police's professional standards department said in a statement: "The investigation is in relation to a private message sent to a colleague, who swiftly reported it to the professional standards department.

"This allegation is particularly upsetting, and could detract from the professionalism of a huge number of colleagues who have worked so tirelessly on this operation.

“We will thoroughly investigate this claim where the behaviour or actions of officers and staff is alleged to have fallen below the standards expected of them."

Earlier this year Sussex Police announced plans to hold gross misconduct hearings in public.