Former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest striker Stan Collymore has contacted police to inform them that he has been the subject of racist abuse on Twitter.
The 40-year-old made the complaint to Staffordshire Police, who in turned passed it on to their colleagues in Northumbria.
It is believed that the alleged tweets were sent to the now talkSPORT presenter from the Tyneside area.
"Just after midnight police received a complaint of racist comments that had been made on Twitter," said a spokeswoman for Northumbria Police. "Officers are carrying out inquiries."
Collymore made three appearances for England during his career.
