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Environmental campaigners 10:10 have withdrawn a film showing a teacher graphically exploding two of her students who refuse to reduce their carbon emissions, after complaints.

In a statement, the group apologised to anyone offended.

The film aimed to "bring this critical issue back into the headlines whilst making people laugh", the group said.

Starring Gillian Anderson it was scripted by Richard Curtis, whose films include Four Weddings and a Funeral.

It was directed by a leading commercials director.

and which contains disturbing images, a teacher invites her class to take part in the environmental campaign. Two children, who do not want to, are asked why.

The teacher tells them: "Fine, it's absolutely fine. It's your own choice."

But moments later she presses a button and the children explode into a mess.

Similar scenes are played out in an office where four workers are blown up and a football training session where footballer David Ginola, who also says he does not want to do his bit to combat climate change, disappears in an explosion.

In the final scene, Gillian Anderson, who provides the voice- over is similarly dispatched after saying she thought doing the voice over was enough of a contribution to the campaign.

Comments left on the where the film was posted before being taken down on the 10:10 site, were split between those congratulating the team and others who thought it was in bad taste.

"I think this is dreadful," said one comment.

"To suggest that people who disagree with you deserve to die is incredibly stupid. Imagine if some Christian group in the US did that to gays, Muslims, or anyone else they disagree with. The outrage would be palpable. And deserved.

"It's like a parody of something that people mocking enviros would do."

Lizze Gillett, Global Campaign Director for 10:10, told the ´óÏó´«Ã½: "As you can see from various comments and social media sites some people thought it was funny and a good tool to get people talking about climate change but others strongly disliked the mini-movie. We decided to take it off our website to avoid upsetting people. "

In the official campaign statement, the group said: "At 10:10 we're all about trying new and creative ways of getting people to take action on climate change. Unfortunately in this instance we missed the mark. Oh well, we live and learn."

However, 10:10 said they would not make any attempt "to censor or remove other versions currently in circulation on the internet."