Nestl marketing staff handing out free Yorkie bars in Liverpool to promote its new "men only" image found themselves in sticky situation.

They were banned from the city's streets after a council worker made an official complaint about sexism.

When it was discovered the free chocolate was only being given out to men, the Nestl staff were asked to leave. The Yorkie bar was relaunched last month as a male-only chocolate bar under the slogan "It's not for girls".

The famous macho trucker image was dropped and advertising slogans such as "Not available in pink" and "Don't feed the birds" were introduced.

A spokesman for Liverpool City Council said: "The Yorkie team did not inform us they would only give them to men. We asked them if they would mind not discriminating and give them to everyone. They refused and we asked them to leave."

Yorkie brand manager Tomas Vesely said: "It's Not For Girls is a humorous campaign that is meant to be very tongue-in-cheek and aimed only at men. It's very surprising to us that people would react this way."

Updated: 11:26 Wednesday, April 17, 2002