Bloody anti-fur poster takes aim at Queen’s Guard

A poster featuring a blood-drenched member of the Queen's Guard has been put on the side of 25 London buses.

It is part of a campaign by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals against the use of bearskin helmets by guardsmen.

The group wants the Ministry of Defence to switch to fake fur, as it claims each helmet uses the entire pelt of a Canadian black bear. The advert shows a guardsman wearing a severed bear's head with blood streaming down his cheeks and reads "MoD: Go fur-free".

Peta spokeswoman Poorva Joshipura said: "The MoD is paying money to maim and shoot black bears. Tradition' is no excuse for cruelty."

The MoD defended the practice of using real bearskins but said it had held trials to test synthetic alternatives.

A spokesman said: "The MoD is not opposed to the use of synthetic materials as an alternative provided such materials meet the requirement for a high-quality product that performs adequately in all weather conditions. Regrettably, a suitable alternative continues to prove elusive."

The 2,500 men of the Grenadier, Welsh, Irish, Scots, and Coldstream Guards, who take turns to parade outside Buckingham Palace, have used the headgear since 1815 and the Battle of Waterloo. Peta's campaign is supported by stars such as Ricky Gervais and Sir Roger Moore.