A university has apologised after a quote from a Nazi general was used to motivate staff and students.

The University of Exeter's careers service sent out an email which included a quote from Erwin Rommel, the World War Two Nazi general also known as the Desert Fox.

Rommel was one of the most senior members of the Nazi war machine.

The email included the quote: "One cannot permit unique opportunities to slip by for the sake of trifles."

A spokesman from the Exeter University said: "This was a genuine error and in no way intentional, however we apologise unreservedly for any offence it may have caused, and have put additional processes in place to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

The spokesman said the University of Exeter staff member who selected the quote did not know who Rommel was, and the information was taken from a free-to-use website.