Madeleine cinema advert upsets Shrek audiences

The move follows complaints that the appeal was scaring young children.

Cinemas across Britain were packed at the weekend after the launch of Shrek The Third, which has been classified as suitable for children over four.

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But before the showing, an appeal for Madeleine was screened which prompted some mothers to put their hands over their children's eyes.

In the short appeal, the camera zooms in on a still picture of Madeleine and explains how she was snatched.

It says her parents are devastated but have not given up hope and concludes with an appeal.

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Parents, who said they had tried to shield their children from media coverage of Madeleine's disappearance, explained that they were angry at having images of the four-year-old, abducted from her parents' holiday apartment in Portugal on May 3, shown without warning.

The Advertising Standards Agency has received several complaints and the website Mumsnet received more than 400 postings on the subject.

One parent wrote on the Mumsnet website: "I am not heartless, insensitive or unfeeling and I feel horror at the whole thing. But I still think it's unfair to scare lots of small children and make them fear they too could be abducted."

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Another wrote: "The story should not be forced in front of children in a darkened cinema on a screen that can't be turned off."

Now Odeon cinemas has said it would no longer broadcast the appeal before Shrek, although it will be shown at other times.

The appeal was made by Carlton Screen Advertising on behalf of Odeon.

A spokesman for the McCanns apologised for any offence. He said: "This is very uncomfortable for everyone.

"The ad is a very simple one. Madeleine was snatched so that is why we used the word.

"I think any mum in the McCanns' shoes would be doing the same, tearing their hair out and doing everything they could to try to find their daughter."

Click to see the appeal advert ...