Neil Conlogue, 33, from Gorleston, Norfolk, adorned the 3 ft-high moustached barber figure with a military uniform, sunglasses and black beret to look like the Iraqi leader.

But the Saddam lookalike stood outside the High Street shop for just two days before police asked Mr Conlogue to put it inside.

A police spokeswoman said: "After a large number of complaints from members of the public we asked the shop owner if he would move the item inside his shop which he willingly did."

'The customers loved it'

Mr Conlogue said: "We didn't mean to offend anyone, it was more a case of getting the message across about the business and people having a laugh.

"We didn't expect we would have the police down, it's a bit daft really.

"The customers loved it and thought it was brilliant."

Mr Conlogue said he would have brought the statue in if anyone had complained to him.

It is not the first time he has used a figure featured in the news to advertise services.

Following the attacks on the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, the barber put up a poster featuring Osama bin Laden offering free beard trims.