Posters with the slogan "There Is Probably No God" are to go up on buses in Genoa next month, where Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco's family are from.

The cardinal is one of the Vatican's toughest critics of atheists and gay rights campaigners.

Silvano Vergoli, of the Italian Humanist Organisation, told the Austrian Times: "We wanted to follow the example of the British Humanist Association. We are in touch with them on a daily basis."

The UK campaign sparked complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority from Christian Voice who claim the ads are misleading.