Cumbrian transgender TV presenter India Willoughby says deliberately using the wrong gender pronoun when speaking about a trans person is a hate crime.

Interviewed today on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the journalist - who made history by becoming the first trans woman in the world to front an all-female talk show on national TV - called for the prosecution of any person who intentionally refers to a trans woman as he.

Talking to the show's presenter Sussanna Reid, India said: "We're talking about one letter here - an s. It's a she or a he.

"Is it such a big deal if someone asks on a particular way to be addressed in that way?"

Pressed further about whether getting this wrong should be investigated by the police as a potential crime, India added: "It's not a crime if its accidental, which does happen. Transgender people are aware of that... We're talking here about tweets and social media posts. I do tweets and I think it through and then it goes on there."

The debate was triggered after police confirmed that they are investigating alleged “malicious communications” by a Catholic journalist who posted a series of tweets in which she misgendered a transgender woman. The reporter was invited to appear on ITV’s Good Morning Britain alongside Susie Green, the mother of transgender daughter Jackie Green and CEO of transgender child charity, Mermaids.

The pair were on the show to discuss Girlguiding’s recent decision to let trans children join their organisation.

After the appearance, the journalist involved made a series of comments about Ms Green’s daughter in which she used the incorrect pronouns to describe Jackie’s gender.

In 2016, Carlisle based India - recognised as the country's first transgender newsreader - made headlines as she co-hosted the all-female talk show Loose Women on ITV.

She was the first trans woman ever to do so.

India began her TV career with ITV Border in Carlisle.