Netflix has apologised and removed a promotional tweet for Chilling Adventures of Sabrina which referenced "Sunday Bloody Sunday".

The caption accompanied several images of cast members including star Kiernan Shipka splattered in fake blood.

But many fans replied to the tweet pointing out that offence could be taken due to the the 1972 Bloody Sunday killings in Northern Ireland.

Netflix later said "we are very sorry for the hurt and distress it caused".

In a statement the streaming service added: "Our tweet was unacceptable and has since been removed."

The caption referred to the day 13 people were killed and 15 people wounded after members of the Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside - a predominantly Catholic part of Londonderry - on Sunday 30 January 1972.

The day became known as Bloody Sunday - one of the darkest days of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Sunday Bloody Sunday is also the name of a 1983 song by Irish rock band U2, which was written about the Troubles and taken from their third album War.

After the tweet was published on the Sabrina Twitter account, several users encouraged Netflix to research the history of Bloody Sunday and remove the post.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina examines the origin and adventures of Sabrina the Teenage Witch in a dark and supernatural coming-of-age drama.

The show's fourth and final series launched on Netflix at the end of last year.

The original Sabrina the Teenage Witch starred Melissa Joan Hart and aired from 1996 to 2003.