Illegal spray-painted advertising on the streets of Derby has led to a row within the city government.

The graffiti-style adverts for a show at the city's Assembly Rooms were sprayed with the go-ahead of the general manager.

But the city's development and cultural services is having them removed.

"This shouldn't have happened and was a mistake and an error of judgment," director Jonathon Guest said.

'Very stylish'

"We are trying to stamp down on graffiti and it is unacceptable and won't happen again."

(We) put our head a little more above the parapet than might otherwise be the case

Roger Edwards

The blue and yellow adverts for the Return to the Forbidden Planet were sprayed around the city centre.

Roger Edwards, Assembly Rooms general manager responsible for the adverts, said "It is a little bit of the guerrilla marketing to catch people's attention."

He admitted that the adverts were "putting our head a little more above the parapet than might otherwise be the case."

"To some degree it is graffiti, but it is done very stylishly."

Some passers-by had different opinions, with one saying: "It is trashy isn't it... if I was going to promote it I wouldn't do it like that."