A newspaper job advertisement showing a person in a straitjacket has been rapped by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

It follows a complaint from a reader that it was offensive to people with mental health problems.

The ad for a designer was placed by greeting cards company Carlton Cards in The Guardian.

The picture was accompanied by the handwritten words "I'm going out of my mind", "I've got to get out of here" and "Help! Won't somebody help me".

Carlton Cards said it was aimed at "creative people who felt they were restricted from expressing their creativity".

They also claimed that "both the metaphor of a person in a straitjacket and the term `I'm going out of my mind' were commonly used".

'Widespread offence'

The ASA said in its adjudication that the image and words "would be seen to refer to mental health, not frustration as the advertisers suggested".

It said it was "likely to cause serious or widespread offence" and told Carlton Cards not to use the same approach again.

The firm said it regretted any offence the advert may have caused.

The ASA's decision has been welcomed by mental health charity Mind.

"Mind welcomes the fact that the ASA is taking complaints about negative portrayal of mental health seriously," spokesperson Tiffany Richards told BBC News Online.

"Mind has been in discussions with the ASA to raise awareness of just how much offence and upset can be caused by insensitive advertising.

"Mind hopes that a strong ruling like this will discourage others from using offensive images and encourage people with mental health problems to complain when they see something that offends them."