Channel 4’s feature, Crazy About One Direction, was broadcast on the evening of Thursday 15th August and portrayed the lengths some young fans will go to to see, speak to and even touch their idols.

But after the documentary was screened, 1Ders took to social networking sites in their droves, furious with the way the footage had shown them.

The fire quickly took hold and before long there were rumours circulating that a number of ‘Larry Shippers’ – a subset of fans who write about a fantasy relationship between 1D members Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles – had committed suicide in the aftermath of the film.

Soon, #RIPLarryShippers was trending and tributes from all over the world were pouring in to mark the supposed deaths of these uber-fans.

It even caught the attention of One Direction member Liam Payne, who tweeted: “Not really sure what's going on right now I just hope everyone's ok xxx”

The ‘death toll’ then apparently rose to 42, with some Twitter users worryingly posting messages like ‘I’m thinking of being the 43rd’.

Liam wrote: “Hearing some horrible things... Really hope this isn't true.

“Just so all of you know we love you guys and we know how dedicated you are and tbh we can't believe it that you gus spend all you time on us,” he implored his fanbase.

“We couldn't give a f**k what any documentary says there dramatised for entertainment and full of bullsh*t anyway we all know how hard you work for us and see it everyday at our shows, Let's all take a step back and think about what we/you have all achieved. You should be proud,” he added.

As yet there have been no official reports of any suicides relating to the documentary, but it suggests Twitter can be used in the most macabre of ways by those who fail to think through what they post.