A TV watchdog has rejected criticism that an advertisement from high street giant WH Smith 'patronised' Geordies, it emerged today.

The Independent Television Commission received 129 complaints about the Christmas commercial, starring Only Fools and Horses actor Nicholas Lyndhurst. In its report, the ITC said the advertisement 'featured a slim, well dressed, 'snobbish' couple from the south-east visiting hugely overweight relatives in Newcastle whom they regarded as unsophisticated.'

Lyndhurst, who stars in a long running series of ads for WH Smith, plays all the roles and wears padding for the obese Geordie characters.

In one of the commercials, the overweight couple are sitting on their sofa and try heaving themselves forward. One of their southern relatives asked if this is a new dance, but is told his hosts are simply trying to stand up.

The complaints were split between those who thought the ads 'stereotyped. Geordies, and others who said it 'patronised' overweight people.

The ITC rejected the complaint, saying 'the exaggerated and fictitious 'Geordie' stereotype was within the bounds of acceptable humour and was unlikely to cause widespread offence amongst people from Newcastle.'

However, the watchdog said the ads were 'more borderline' when it came to complaints about the portrayal of obesity.

But it said: "On balance, the ITC concluded that the exaggerated, 'pantomime' nature of the overweight characters was likely to be just sufficient to reduce the risk of distress or harm in this particular case." A statement issued by WH Smith said: "WH Smith has used Nicholas Lyndhurst to portray the Smith Family in its various guises at Christmas time over the last six years.

"This year the campaign was intended to convey a lighthearted approach to entertaining relatives at Christmas as many people across the country do. "It was not intended to cause offence in any way to anyone. We apologise profusely for any offence caused and can assure you that all comments will be noted and collated with our extensive customer research that we commission on all advertising."