A HOME Office advertising campaign featuring sexually provocative images of young holidaymakers has been denounced as "puerile" by shadow immigration minister and Kent MP Damian Green.

The series of adverts are aimed at 16- to 24-year-olds to highlight the fact that passport applications may take longer because first-time applicants face compulsory interviews.

But the promotional campaign is under fire because of its explicit nature and the image they present to other countries of how Britons might be expected to behave when abroad on holiday.

One shows a man in the sea with two girls saying: "Shame u didn’t get UR passport m8...Been learnin breastroke wiv the ladeeeez!!!"

Another featuring two topless women reads: "Gutted U didn’t get UR passport geeza!!! Anyway, check out the view from the bar."

Ashford MP Mr Green said the adverts, which are appearing in mens magazines, were a waste of money.

"The fact that taxpayers’ money is being spent on a promotional campaign like this is just plain wrong. They are puerile and I think it is pretty dismal that the Home Office seems to think this is the only way you can reach people in this age group.

"If this is the way the British government thinks is the way to depict how young people behave on holiday, then God help our image abroad."

If the Home Office had not decided to introduce complusory interviews for thousands of first-time applicants, an advertising campaign would not have been needed, he added. "The Government has really brought this on itself."

Canterbury MP Julian Brazier said: "It’s amazing the Home Office can find money for pornography while cutting back on budgets for worthwhile schemes such as prisoner rehabilitation and education."

The Home Office said it had taken expert advice about how to get its message across.