A UKIP’s candidate in Hampshire has apologised after wrongly saying a Liberal Democrat candidate contracted HIV on purpose.

Patricia Culligan, UKIP's candidate for Eastleigh, had posted a message on social media site Twitter in response to a Daily Mail article about Paul Childs, a candidate for Liverpool Riverside.

Mr Childs revealed he has been living with the condition for three years because he was “disgusted” by the comments made by UKIP leader Nigel Farage about HIV during the leaders’ TV debate.

Mr Farage sparked controversy by claiming that people can come into Britain from anywhere in the world, get diagnosed with HIV and get the retroviral drugs which cost the UK taxpayer £25,000 per year.

Mr Childs is the second Lib Dem candidate fighting for a seat in the House of Commons to reveal they had HIV. Adrian Hyyrylainen-Trett, who is running for the party in Vauxhall, central London, reportedly claimed he contracted the virus intentionally as he embarked on a path of self “annihilation”.

Following Mr Child’s HIV revelation Ms Culligan then took to Twitter.

She tweeted said: “2nd Lib Dem candidate reveals he deliberately became HIV positive yet free NHS care v costly.”

However Mr Childs had not intentionally contracted the illness.

Ms Culligan, who is standing in the hotly contested Eastleigh constituency, has now posted an apology on Twitter.

On the social media site she described her message as a “misunderstanding”, adding: “It wasn’t to do with the particular illness it was to do with the issue of NHS tourism.

“Most of my career has been in social care and I have done a lot of care with people with HIV, so for anyone to say I am anti-gay is preposterous.

“I misunderstood the article, so for that I apologise and I am cross to have done that.”

In a Tweet following Ms Culligan’s remarks about his HIV, Mr Childs said: “Apart from misguided UKIP comments, the reaction has been great. Wish I had done it sooner.”