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Sports company Asics has apologised after screens outside a flagship store in Auckland, New Zealand, showed pornography for several hours.

The content played on the store's promotional outdoor screens above the entrance until staff arrived at 10am on Sunday to open the shop.

The Japanese sports company said hackers had gained access to the system to show the explicit content.

"We would like to apologise to anyone who may have seen this," the firm said.

, Asics said "an unknown person gained access to the screens above our central Auckland store and some objectionable content was displayed on the screens".

"We are working with our software and online security suppliers to ensure this doesn't happen again," the statement added.

According to the New Zealand Herald, the pornographic content had been playing for nine hours until turned off by staff.

The paper cites security offer Dwayne Hinango saying that "some people were shocked, but others just stopped and watched".

The Herald also cites one woman who witnessed the videos while walking past with her seven-year-old son.

"I took a second look because I just couldn't believe what I was seeing," she said.

"It's totally inappropriate and offensive, not something that you want kids exposed to."