A new advertising campaign for Lil-lets tampons has come under fire from viewers disturbed by its direct approach.

The commercial prompted 64 complaints from viewers, who accused it of being distasteful, inappropriate and disgusting.

It means it is one of the most complained-about ads of the year so far.

The advert, which is part of a £2 million campaign, is filmed in the style of a 1970s children's TV programme.

A presenter called Sandy demonstrates the benefits of Lil-lets' new extra comfort range to co-host Mervin.

To her surprise, Mervin takes to the subject with unexpected enthusiasm, even volunteering - rather bafflingly - to test the Lil-lets himself.

The Independent Television Commission said it had received 64 complaints since the campaign launched earlier this month - most of them from men who thought the ad inappropriate.

This is still far fewer than the 300 people who complained when agony aunt Claire Rayner did her famous voiceover in the wings ads for Vespre Silhouette Plus, reports Media Guardian.

Another campaign, for Alldays Black, was banned in the UK two years ago because the advertising watchdog considered it too sexually charged.

The commercial showed a woman who stripped off in front of her partner and was horrified to discover her white panty liner showed through her black knickers.