Religion, tax-evasion and violence top list of ad complaints

British consumers complained about a record number of adverts last year - including those of a gay association, a government department and a fashion giant.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received complaints about 12,842 adverts during 2006, its annual report showed on yesterday.

That was a record number, although the number of overall complaints actually fell, by 14.5 per cent to 22,429.

Religious offence, violent imagery and same-sex kisses dominated the top ten most complained-about ads of the year.

An advert by the Gay Police Association - picturing a Bible to highlight religious motivation behind homophobic incidents - was the most maligned.

It attracted 553 complaints, with people finding it offensive to Christians and discriminatory in tone. A national press ad from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) was the second most complained-about advert, receiving 271 complaints.

It depicted what appeared to be a self-employed plumber evading tax by hiding under the kitchen sink, and complainants said it implied self-employed people were tax-dodgers.

Meanwhile, a national press ad by fashion house Dolce & Gabbana attracted 166 complaints from those concerned about its glamorisation of knives and violence.

One of the ads had appeared opposite a news article about a knife crime and, although D&G said the highly-stylised approach was inspired by well-known paintings of the Napoleonic period, the ASA judged the ads to be irresponsible and offensive.

It also upheld complaints over the Gay Police Association advert, but rejected those over the HMRC ad.

A total 2,421 adverts were changed or withdrawn following ASA action.

Lord Borrie QC, chairman of the ASA, said it was "pleasing" that total complaints had fallen, but said the industry had to address ambiguity over internet ads, which saw a 33 per cent rise in complaints.

"The internet is now the second most complained about non-broadcast advertising format - a rise unmatched by any other media," he said.

"Yet the boundaries of regulatory responsibility online are still unclear.