The BBC has apologised after users of its news app for mobile phones were sent nonsensical messages.

It left many people bewildered and prompted some to send out messages on Twitter pondering whether the BBC's system had been hacked.

However the corporation said the alert, prepared for internal testing, had been sent out by mistake.

The app is used to keep users up to date with breaking news stories through "push notifications".

The message read: "NYPD Twitter campaign 'backfires' after hashtag hijacked. Push sucks! Pull blows! BREAKING NEWS No nudity in latest episode of Game of Thrones!!! MORE BREAKING NEWS IIIIIII like testing."

The BBC reassured people on Twitter that its security had not been breached.

A BBC spokesman said: "We've been in the process of testing new functionality for our apps and a test message was sent in error this morning. We apologise to our app users who were unnecessarily interrupted with the alert."

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