A controversial billboard advertising a cricket club has knocked residents for six since it was put up at a village station.

The image of the bikini-clad woman has certainly caused a storm in a D-cup in some Slaithwaite circles, with people saying that the poster was ‘degrading’ and reminiscent of ‘old fashioned sexism’.

It was put up by one of the presidents of the Slaithwaite Cricket Club, Tim Garside, who denied that it was inappropriate and said that it was part of a long-running campaign to encourage more male Ale Trail participants to visit the club.

It follows on from his brother, James’s, use of a similar head-turning advert of a woman’s rear to advertise his properties in the Colne Valley six years ago.

The subject of the photo mock-up, on display on the platform one side near to steps leading up to Hilltop, is model Lara Bingle, ex-fiancee of Australian cricket captain, Michael Clarke, whose pose was first used as part of a 2006 shoot for television station Channel Nine’s 2006 Ashes advertisement.

The advert first sent people into a spin when a photo of the sign with two men posed next to it, with one seemingly pointing to the model’s crotch, was posted on the club’s Facebook page.

One resident, Jean Margetts, who lives in Manchester Road, who has asked for the issue to be brought up at the next real Ale Trail meeting in the village, said: “Seeing the advert was quite a surprise and I didn’t expect anything like that to be in Slaithwaite.

“Sexist images of women like that should not be used to attract people to go to a place or to sell a product, it’s demeaning.

“It’s old fashioned sexism, which makes me feel a bit sad really.

'Offensive' poster of bikini clad Lara Bingle advertising Slaithwaite CC.
'Offensive' poster of bikini clad Lara Bingle advertising Slaithwaite CC.

“I think that the people behind it will think that it’s a joke but it makes me question their attitudes.

“I think it should be removed.”

Colne Valley councillor, Donna Bellamy said: “I don’t think its the right or appropriate advertisement.

“It gives the wrong impression about the village and I will contact the council and will make sure it comes up at the next Ale Trail meeting.”

However, Tim said that the poster was one of several similar signs that also featured beachwear-clad men, which were only put up on the club’s match days.

He said: “We took the others down because we didn’t want them to get stolen and the only reason that this poster is still up is because it is hard to get to.

“I totally stand by them because it’s just a flippant advertising campaign that attracts attention to the club, whose turnover we need to increase to ensure that the cricket club can continue.

“We have created both male and female versions so I don’t think that it is sexist at all and I also think that encouraging more people to the club will help ease the congestion that occurs on weekends when people on the ale trail come out of the station and head down to the village.”

Slaithwaite Cricket Club's attention grabbing sign for women
Slaithwaite Cricket Club's attention grabbing sign for women
 

Click here to take you back to more Huddersfield news .

Want to read, watch and hear more? You can download the FREE Examiner Apple App  here , the FREE Examiner Android App  here  or you can view the paper as an e-edition on your Apple, Android or Kindle device by clicking  here

To follow us on Twitter click here