Bradford cable company Telewest has been named a runner-up to an award it didn't want: Britain's worst advertiser.

The watchdog Advertising Standards Authority has singled out the phone and TV giant in a "hall of shame" published in its annual report.

The ASA upheld 261 complaints about an "aggressive" and "offensive" advertising campaign the company ran last year. It took giant street hoardings, many on its home turf in Bradford, with the headline: "Stay on the ***** phone."

Today, the campaign was revealed to be the third most complained-about in 2002.

The ASA says in its report: "The use of the swear word prompted complaints by members of the public who felt the language was offensive. Others expressed the view that the word was inappropriate to use where children could see it."

The ASA said the tone of the poster was "aggressive rather than humorous" and "was likely to cause serious or widespread offence".

The T&A also received many complaints when the ad appeared. Bradford head teacher Hilary Greaves said Telewest supplied an internet connection to her school in Little Horton and to many others in the city, and should have known better. "I think it is appalling that a major company has used a swear word to advertise it," she said.

Her husband, Councillor Chris Greaves (Con, Rombalds), who also complained to the ASA, said: "We don't want posters like this in Bradford. We have had problems which brought us a bad image and we're trying to pull ourselves up."

Telewest, which employs 350 people at Bradford's Mayfair Business Park, off Sticker Lane, said it had not intended to cause offence.

Director of marketing John Petter claimed the phrase on the poster was "familiar to many households" and said the company's marketing research had indicated that most people would find it amusing. He added: "We are an innovative company and this campaign reflected our upbeat attitude."

The ASA's most complained about advert last year was placed by the British Heart Foundation and showed a patient with a polythene bag on her head.

Second place in the hall of shame went to the instant snack Pot Noodle - 288 people complained about its use of the phrase "Hurt me, you ****".