''Offensive'' Mr T ad pulled

The ad, which has only ever been shown in the UK, featured the A-Team legend firing Snickers bars at a speed walker, forcing him to break into a run.

In the advert, Mr T crashes through a wall on the back of flat-bed truck before pulling alongside a man wearing tight-fitting yellow shorts.

In full BA-Baracus character he peppers the man with chocolate bars from a machine-gun and shouts: "Speed walking. I pity you fool.

"You are a disgrace to the man race. It's time to run like a real man."

According to the Advertising Standards Authorities, the advert only attracted two complaints in the UK and was never investigated for a breach of the advertising code.

But the clip sparked fury overseas.

The US-based Human Rights Campaign criticised Mars for perpetrating "the notion that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is a group of second class citizens and that violence against GLBT people is not only acceptable, but humorous".

A spokeswoman for Mars said: "This ad is the second in a series of UK Snickers ads featuring Mr T, which are meant to be fun and have been positively received in the UK.

"However, we understand that humour is highly subjective, and it is never our intention to cause offence.

"Accordingly, we have pulled the Mr T Speedwalker ad globally."

It is the second time in as many months that an ad made by agency AMV BBDO has been pulled.

Heinz pulled an advert for its Deli Mayo, which featured two men kissing, after complaints from pressure groups that it was promoting a gay lifestyle.

Powerful Christian group the American Family Association deluged Heinz's US HQ with emails and calls, after mobilising its 3.5 million members – even though the ad was never shown outside the UK.