`Self-combustion' ad upsets viewers

A TELEVISION advertisement showing people apparently bursting into flames, which promotes a new magazine, has provoked a surge of complaints.

About 150 viewers, including representatives from the fire service, complained to the Independent Television Commission, saying they found the scenes "distressing" and "totally inappropriate". The ITC is investigating the adverts, which promote the magazine Heat and were first shown on network television two weeks ago.

Suzanne Prance, a spokesperson for the ITC, said: "We had quite a rapid reaction from viewers, with most saying they found it totally inappropriate imagery to sell a commercial product." A spokesman for the Fire Brigades Union said: "It is wholly inappropriate and totally insensitive to use these images in this way."

A spokesman for Emap Metro, the publisher of the magazine, said: "The scenes involve a lot of water or situations which make it obvious that it isn't real. It is not our intention to offend and we don't feel we have."