A cheese company has become embroiled in a social media spat over claims it 'castrated' a Dorset landmark.

Oxford Cheese Company used a picture of the Cerne Abbas Giant, a naked chalk figure well-known for its 36ft giant phallus, on its Cerne Abbas Cheddar.

But it censored the image by adding a pair of trousers following a request from a supermarket.

Baron Robert Pouget, who founded the Oxford Cheese Company in Oxford's Covered Market 40 years ago, said: “We have a cheese that is a strong mature cheddar that is made on a farm in Dorset.

"We have been selling it under our brand name for about 10 years. It’s a very popular cheese, we sell abut three tons a month.

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“We chose to use the Cerne Abbas man because it’s a very well-known local figure.”

The figure shows prominent male anatomy and “our label reflected that”, said Mr Pouget.

However, the company later covered up the phallus following a complaint.

Mr Pouget said: “We started supplying prepackaged portions to a national supermarket chain and at that stage somebody complained.

Oxford Mail: Robert Pouget

"A lady was offended. Never mind that this figure has been on the side of a hill for 3,000 years, when it appeared on the side of a cheese this lady was offended.

“So the supermarket asked us to put a pair of trousers on it.

“I said, look, this is ridiculous. It’s a national symbol, I can’t really castrate it. I took it as a bit of a joke. I said, do you want me to put jeans on it, what sort of trousers?"

“Then I thought no more about it, everybody seemed to be happy."

Mr Pouget, whose company is noted for its Oxford Blue cheese and its spicy Oxford Sauce, said: “But apparently this brewery wanted to use the symbol and somebody said the Oxford Cheese Company is already using it.

"And this started a huge furore."

Cerne Abbas Brewery claimed the company had "exploited" the attraction.

A statement posted on its Facebook page said: "The Oxford Cheese Company you are a disgrace! We are strongly proud of our heritage and to deface a national monument to sell some smelly old cheese is a disgrace.

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"How dare you use OUR GIANT on your marketing and then remove HIS genitalia so to not offend the wokefolk.”

Head brewer Vic Irvine said he was "absolutely disgusted".

"First of all they're not in Dorset and second they've emasculated him. I'm incandescent with rage," he added.

Mr Pouget said: “Apparently the brewery owner said he was ‘incadescent with rage’ at the ‘castration’."

“We used the figure because the cheese is made in Dorset."

He said he had considered rebranding the product with a different name and image but had not decided what.

"I suppose we could have called it Iffley Road Cheddar?" he said.