Image caption Brad Pitt plays an army sergeant called Wardaddy in the film

The director of Brad Pitt's latest movie has apologised for filming war scenes featuring extras in Nazi uniforms on Remembrance Sunday.

David Ayer, the director of Fury, expressed his "heartfelt apologies for any disrespect caused".

Pre-dawn explosions and scenes using extras dressed in Nazi uniform were filmed in an Oxfordshire village.

Parish council chairman Ian Hill earlier said that "local people were very angry" with the decision to film.

According to a report in the Daily Mirror, the film's makers rejected a plea to suspend their operations.

Producers Sony also issued an apology, stating that they "deeply regret any misunderstandings caused".

An extra who was filming on Sunday told the Mirror: "This was grotesquely disrespectful and offensive. I can't believe I wore an SS uniform on Remembrance Sunday."

Nearby residents were told to expect gunfire and explosions throughout the making of the film, which is expected to take place in the area until 15 November.

Ayer added in his message on Twitter: "I am a veteran myself. It is an honour to film here in the UK," and posted a picture of a Veterans' Day ceremony at Arlington Cemetery in the US.

He has also been regularly posting photographs from the set of his World War 2 tank battle movie, including one dated Sunday, 10 November.

Fury, which also stars Jason Isaacs and Shia LaBeouf, is due to be released in October next year.

Ayer's other credits include writing the screenplay for 2001 film The Fast and the Furious, while he directed Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, which is expected to come out next April.

Shadow defence minister Kevan Jones said: "I'm astonished producers would not consider it to be inappropriate to film such scenes on Remembrance Sunday.

"It is outrageous appeals from locals to reconsider plans to film on such an occasion were ignored."