FURIOUS Christians say car-fitters in Banbury mocked their faith to attract business over Easter.

National firm Hi-Q published an advert in a weekly newspaper depicting a hand holding a wheelbrace in the form of a cross.

Above the image a headline read: "At last, a fastfit team you can put your faith in."

But it has angered religious group Banbury Christians Together who said the ad was offensive.

Spokesman Malcolm Bromhall said the Wolverhampton-based company had ridiculed Christianity during its most important festival.

"Christ's suffering on the cross should not be the subject for cheap puns or sales campaigns.

"I doubt any other faith group would put up with such mickey-taking and I would expect non-believers to respect what Easter means to Christians," he said.

Mr Bromhall is writing to both Hi-Q and the Banbury Guardian, which published the advert twice on April 2 and 9 to complain.

Connect Advertising and Marketing, which designed the advert, said it had received only one other complaint - from a Christian group in Bradford.

Managing director Rob Hampton said: "Neither Hi-Q or Connect meant to cause any offence and we apologise for any upset it has created."

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