'Graffiti-style' ad banned to deter Tube vandals

Tube chiefs banned an advert for a New Year's Eve party at the O2 Arena in case it encouraged graffiti.

The promoters of the Ministry of Sound gig, which will be broadcast live on Radio 1, were told their poster might provoke passengers to vandalise trains and stations.

O2 bosses were stunned when the advert, which features graffiti-style "tag" writing, was rejected by Transport for London.

David Frossman, of promoter AEG Live, said: "We thought it was a joke at first. It never occurred to us anyone could think this would encourage graffiti. It's ridiculous."

Reworking the posters has cost promoters thousands of pounds and delayed their campaign by weeks, AEG said. A new design has yet to be submitted for approval.

The gig features DJs including Calvin Harris and Eric Prydz. A TfL spokesman said the poster could encourage graffiti artists to think that such behaviour would be tolerated. He said: "An advert can be refused if the design suggests it had been subjected to graffiti."