Danny Dyer devastated over ‘cut her face’ column

The London film actor Danny Dyer has claimed that advice he appeared to give in an agony column in the lads' magazine Zoo - advocating that a male reader should cut his girlfriend's face - was not written by him. "This is totally out of order," he said. "I am totally devastated."

The magazine itself has apologised for the remark. A statement said: "Due to an extremely regrettable production error, an inappropriate and indefensible response to a letter has appeared in this week's issue... Zoo and Danny Dyer condemn any violence against women."

The "advice" appeared in Dyer's agony uncle column in answer to a letter from Alex, 23, from Manchester, who said he was unable to get over breaking up with his girlfriend. He was advised to go on the "rampage" with the boys or "cut your ex's face, then no-one will want her".

Zoo's apology, and Dyer's embarrassment, are not going to pacify anti-violence campaigners quickly, however.

Sandra Horley, chief executive of Refuge, the charity which campaigns against domestic violence, said: "It is all too easy to dismiss comments like these as a joke, but we know that domestic violence takes lives and ruins lives.

"Two women are killed every week by a current or former partner - and these figures aren't going down. One in eight young men believe it is OK to hit their girlfriend if she is nagging."

Horley said the "irresponsible and tasteless comments" in Zoo only reinforced these attitudes.

Holly Dustin, manager of the End Violence Against Women coalition, called the column "truly stomach-churning" and demanded that Zoo publish a prominent retraction.

It is not yet clear whether 32-year-old Dyer, who has appeared in The Football Factory, The Business and Dead Man Running, will continue to lend his name to the column. ·