A COSMETIC surgery which runs a clinic in Chester has been criticised for running an ad campaign promoting “easy” breast enlargement operations.

Harley Medical Centre, which has a centre in St John Street, Chester, ran a poster campaign featuring “before” and “after” shots of a woman called Amy who underwent breast enlargement.

A total of 33 complainants contacted the Advertising Standards Authority about the campaign, which used the line “Gorgeous breasts just got easy with cosmetic surgery...”

Objectors said the ad was offensive and irresponsible because it implied larger breasts would make women happier.

A number of complaints, including one from a doctor, said it was misleading and irresponsible.

Harley Medical Centre said it was “surprised and concerned” by the complaints and stressed the campaign was not intended to offend.

It added “Amy” was a real patient who wanted to restore her body to how it had been before she had a baby.

HMC said that the use of the word “easy” described the consultation process and the centre’s offer of flexible finance.

It added all patients were fully informed before giving their consent for surgery and did not encourage operations to be taken lightly.

The ASA cleared the ad of undermining the self-esteem of young women, saying it felt the posters were unlikely to cause “serious or widespread offence”. It accepted the ad had not been digitally enhanced.

However, it disagreed with HMC’s claims about the use of the word “easy”.

The ASA ruled those reading the ad, displayed on London Underground station escalator panels, could infer from the claim that the procedure itself was easy and without risk and that no independent medical advice was needed.

The ad was banned for being irresponsible and misleading. HMC said it would not repeat the claim.