Britain's police force has released a radio ad calling on suspicious citizens to inform on their neighbours for using only cash or keeping their curtains closed. Just not cricket, says the UK’s advertising watchdog.

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An anti-terrorism radio ad calling on Britons to report their neighbours if they keep their curtains closed or pay for things in cash has been banned by the UK advertising watchdog.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the ad would cause “serious offence” to ordinary law-abiding citizens.

The ad, which can still be heard on the Metropolitan Police website mp3 ), describes a man who “likes to keep himself to himself”, doesn’t have a bank card and keeps his curtains closed.

At the end, the voice advises that “this may mean nothing, but together it could all add up to you having suspicions,” before urging listeners to call the police if they have the slightest concern.

The Metropolitan Police insisted that “the behaviour listed in the advert was based on trends identified by police and had been included in evidence given at recent terrorism trials.”

Nevertheless, the ASA said the ad, destined for the TalkSport radio station and billed as “bought to you by TalkSport and the anti-terrorist hotline” could not be released in its current format.

In a statement the ASA said: “We considered that some listeners might be offended by the suggestion that they report members of their community for acting in the way described.”

The Association of Chief Police Officers, which sponsored the commercial, has apologised to the “small number” of listeners who had been offended.

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