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Adverts for Adidas sports bras that featured women's bare breasts have been banned for being likely to cause widespread offence.

A tweet, posted in February, showed the breasts of 20 women of various skin colours, shapes and sizes in a grid format.

In the ad, Adidas stated: 'We believe women's breasts in all shapes and sizes deserve support and comfort. Which is why our new sports bra range contains 43 styles, so everyone can find the right fit for them.'Two other posters showed similar cropped images of 62 and 64 women, and stated: 'The reasons we didn't make just one new sports bra.'

The UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received 24 complaints that the ads' use of nudity was gratuitous and objectified women by sexualising them and 'reducing them to body parts'.

Some complainants also challenged whether the poster ads were appropriate for display where they could be seen by children.

Adidas UK said the images were intended to 'reflect and celebrate different shapes and sizes, illustrate diversity and demonstrate why tailored support bras were important'.