The poster: Offensive or informative? Enlarge image

The poster, for Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), featured scantily-clad models huddled together on one side of a poster and chickens packed in a farm on the other.

Underneath the shots is the legend: "Thousands of big-breasted birds packed together for your pleasure."

The CIWF said the advert was designed to raise awareness of "appalling conditions in which meat chickens are reared".

But London Underground decided it could not be displayed because it was likely to offend.

Kerry Burgess, campaigns director for CIWF, said: "Our advertisement is not designed to titillate at all - we are simply using images that are seen every day in other advertisements and magazines."

A spokeswoman for London Underground said: "We have terms of acceptance on the Underground and adverts that are likely to offend or depict men, women or children as sex objects can be deemed inappropriate for display."