Officials Condemn Use of Hindley Portrait in London 2012 Video

Downing Street led condemnation of London's tourism body today after a painting of Moors murderer Myra Hindley was shown in a promotional video screened Beijing.

The picture was used in a film intended to highlight the capital's rich cultural heritage ahead of the 2012 games.

The controversial piece of art by Marcus Harvey was fleetingly seen during a segment of the Visit London video filmed in a gallery where it was on display.

The gaffe occurred at a party to celebrate the handover of the Olympics to London attended by the prime minister, Gordon Brown, and the mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

A Downing Street spokesman said: "The use of this image is in extremely poor taste and it should not have been used to promote London."

The video, showing iconic London landmarks and images of London life, was shown at London House in Beijing.

A spokesman for the mayor's office said today: "The mayor is deeply concerned by the realization that a shot of Myra Hindley was shown in a short video at London House and asked that it not be shown again."

Liberal Democrat Olympics spokesman Tom Brake said: "British art definitely represents some of the 'best of British', but of all the many masterpieces that could have been used this was the most regrettable and the least inspired choice."

Harvey's Myra was one of a number of works featured in the film montage, which was also available on a Visit London website, designed to encourage tourists from around the world to come to the city.

The painting, made from children's hand prints, was vandalized while on display in the Royal Academy in 1997.

It was attacked with ink and eggs while being shown as part of the gallery's Sensation exhibition.

Hindley was jailed for life along with her lover Ian Brady for the murders of four children between 1963 and 1964. She died in 2002.

In a statement, Visit London said: "This is a general three-minute video of London in which an artwork by Marcus Harvey very fleetingly appears.

"The video is not for general public use and has been used many times over the last few years to show to the tourism trade.

"There has never been a complaint made about the video up until this point.

"However, if any offense has been caused, we will withdraw it from use with immediate effect."