Hundreds share fake appeal for ‘missing’ girl Bella Heather

Hundreds of people across the UK have shared hoax appeals for information about a supposedly missing five-year-old named Bella Heather. 

Full Fact has seen examples of the posts in Doncaster (South Yorkshire), Whaley Bridge (Derbyshire), Hastings (East Sussex), Longton (Staffordshire), Dumfries and Galloway, Silsden (West Yorkshire), Wrexham, Stockport (Greater Manchester), Dewsbury (West Yorkshire) and Otley (West Yorkshire). 

All of the posts have very similar text, which says: “My niece Bella Heather she’s 5years old has been missing for 7hours. She was last seen playing with her pup on our pourch [sic] in #doncaster [or relevant location].

“An amber alert has been activated. Please keep our sweet girl in your prayers and thoughts help bump this post. She…