Huge images of David Beckham projected onto the White Cliffs of Dover

by Graham Tuthill

Giant images of a semi-naked David Beckham have been projected onto the White Cliffs of Dover.

The publicity stunt was organised by fashion chain H&M and showed the footballer wearing his famous barely-there white pants.

It was apparently to welcome Olympic visitors arriving in Britain.

Some people who saw the images said they are sceptical as to whether it actually happened - or if the image was put together digitally.

But H&M confirmed projection equipment was taken out into the English Channel and the images were beamed onto the cliffs last night - for one night only.

Spokesman Chloe Bowers said: "We are always looking for new ways to surprise our customers and saw this as a unique and fun opportunity.

"We chose the White Cliffs of Dover because it's one of the UK's spectacular natural features."

The cliffs have become increasingly popular for publicity purposes.

During Euro 2012, a betting company erected a huge statue of England football manager Roy Hodgson at St Margaret's and in May a fashion show was held at Langdon Cliffs to launch a new clothing range.

In January, ABF The Soldiers' Charity projected the Union Flag onto the cliffs to mark the finale of its Thanks, Soldier campaign and in April last year a beer company used the cliffs as a screen for an image of their product.

In the run-up to the general election in April 2010, Sky News publicised their debate between the three main party leaders - Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg - by projecting their faces onto the cliffs, similar to the Mount Rushmore images of four American presidents.