Church fury at `fcuk xmas' ads

A HIGH-STREET fashion chain has provoked complaints from the Church of England and the Catholic Church with its latest advertising campaign urging shoppers to "fcuk xmas".

Church officials have written to Stephen Marks, the chief executive of French Connection, stating that the displays in shops across the country reflect the company's "callous indifference to the feelings of the great majority of people for whom Christmas is very special".

A spokeswoman said that Mr Marks had written back, saying that the window displays would stay in place for the present. "Fcuk is not meant to be offensive at all. It is only meant as a bit of fun," she added.

A spokeswoman for the Catholic Media Office said an apology was not enough. "We really do want them withdrawn," she said. "Christmas is a religious festival, yes, but it is also a family festival."

The company has come in for criticism before for similar advertising slogans, which exploit the initials of the company. Posters last year - one telling consumers to "fcuk fashion" and a second to do the same with "advertising" - were banned by the Advertising Standards Authority.

However, since the currentcampaign uses window displays, not paid- for advertisements, it falls outside the jurisdiction of the advertising authority.

Local authority trading standards officers are unlikely to intervene because they are concerned with whether shops are misleading customers rather than issues of taste.