They were posters designed as a fun way to hammer home the anti-drink to Southampton's late night revellers.

City private hire firm WestQuay Cars hoped their poster campaign would encourage youngsters enjoying themselves in pubs and clubs across the city not to drive and to take a cab instead.

Bosses at the company didn't expect their advertising campaign of two separate posters aimed at men and woman to spark any controversy.

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But now they have had to defend themselves after there waere complaints about the poster aimed at just women.

Southampton feminists campaigners said the poster featuring a picture of a woman with a caption saying 'If I start to look sexy book a taxi' was sexist.

Now the University of Southampton Feminist Society are calling on fellow students to boycott the city centre-based firm.

One letter sent to the Daily Echo from a campaigner read: “I was horrified to see a recent ad by West Quay cars which featured middle aged larger woman with the words "if I look sexy, book a taxi" advising people not to drive drunk or "make bad decisions after drinking.

“It's disgusting that in 2015 sexism is alive and well in Southampton enough to be an acceptable ad campaign, especially in the New Year when companies too often try to make a profit over negative self body image.”

However there have been no such complains about the male version of the poster, which showed a man with a moustache dressed in 70's style disco clothes and open chested shirt, with the same slogan.

Last night bosses at the company, who designed the posters themselves using pictures taken from the internet, have hit back at critics .

They distributed 166 to pubs and clubs across Southampton and Eastleigh, as part of a festive campaign and said that the 16 complaints about the posters were not received until January 1.

The company has denied they are sexist and added there were no complaints about the male version.

Before the campaign was launched the firm canvassed 603 people, and received only five complaints on the female poster and four of the male one.

Manager of West Quay Cars, Lee Haynes, said: “We are disappointed that our annual anti Drink Drive campaign for 2014 has generated some negative feedback, we apologise for any offence that may have been caused by either of the posters.

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Lee Haynes

“We refute the claim that either our advertising for West Quay Cars as a company is sexist or discriminatory in anyway, of the 22 staff employed within the company 16 are female and we have a diverse range of ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation within that group.

He added that an investigation into the 16 complaints revealed only 10 were from Hampshire, with one coming from the USA.

Mr Haynes, added: “We accept that we cannot please everyone all of the time, our safety message of “don't drive under the influence” is delivered we believe in a light-hearted and humorous way as befits the festive season.”