An advert showing strands of Pot Noodle being removed from a "noodle mine" by miners in Wales is not racist, an industry watchdog has ruled.
The Advertising Standards Authority received 81 complaints about the advert from the public accusing it of racism.
However, on Wednesday the ASA rejected claims the advert was offensive following an investigation.
The makers of the Pot Noodle snack, Unilever, had earlier described the advert as "tongue-in-cheek".
The ad used 10 former miners who now work at the Pot Noodle factory in Crumlin, near Newbridge, south Wales.
It was filmed in a disused pit and showed them removing noodles from a "noodle mine" to be used in Pot Noodle products.
The advert ended with a voice saying: "Fuel for Britain, isn't it?"
The commercial was launched as part of an attempt to re-brand the product as a healthy snack, with makers saying fat and salt content had been reduced and vegetable content in some flavours raised.
In its judgement, the ASA said: "We acknowledged that the ad offended some viewers.
"However, we did not consider the depiction of Welsh miners in the ad was derogatory to the Welsh."
The product's advertisements have attracted the attention of the ASA in the past. A tagline on one, "Have you got the Pot Noodle horn?" attracted 572 complaints but was cleared of being inappropriate.
However an earlier campaign for the product was banned by the ASA.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~02~RS~)