Police are warning drivers to keep their eyes on the road after a billboard appeared with a naked woman emblazoned across it.

The advert for Marks & Spencer clothes for women has caused uproar among local residents.

It appeared at the junction of Station Road and Wellington Road in Portslade this week and is causing a stir among motorists.

The billboard forms the new image of Marks & Spencer's female fashions and the naked lady is 27-year-old Amy Davis.

She was chosen as the figurehead of the store's new £20 million advertising campaign because she is a size 16.

Marks & Spencer hopes the new concepts will turn round its poor sales performance over the last two years, which has led to a halving of its annual profits to about £500 million.

The billboard features the rear view of Ms Davis and has led to fears that it could prove distracting for drivers nearby.

Some local people fear it is distasteful and are worried young children will see the advertisement.

Sue Brown, who lives with her husband and three children right opposite the hoarding, said she was appalled it was there.

She said: "It's not nice seeing a naked woman like that.

"We live opposite and it's not nice for any young kids who walk past, not just our kids. We look out of the window or open the door and it's straight in your face.

"It went up this morning and it's really not nice."

But others were unconcerned by the poster.

Dave Twell, who works at the Travis Perkins site across the road, said he could not see what the fuss was about.

He said: "It's a lot of fuss over nothing. It's not that bad, let's face it.

"It's an advert with the back of somebody naked. It's not that intimidating, is it?"

A spokesman for Sussex Police said: "Accidents can happen because of these kinds of posters or billboards with people peering to get a good look.

"We are concerned that drivers, particularly men, keep their eyes on the road at all times."