Fury as mag agony uncle Dyer tells heartbroken reader to 'cut ex's face'

Anti-violence campaigners condemned the suggestion as "inexcusable" and "truly stomach churning."

Zoo's Ask Danny column featured a 23-year-old Manchester man who wrote in as he was unable to get over a break-up with his ex-girlfriend.

The man was advised in the 32-year-old actor's column to go on the "rampage" with the boys or: "Cut your ex's face, and then no one will want her." The magazine said it condemned violence against women, as did Dyer, and an internal inquiry has been launched.

It said a "production error" was responsible for the comment making it to print.

A statement issued on behalf of Zoo magazine said: "Due to an extremely regrettable production error, an inappropriate and indefensible response to a letter has appeared in this week's issue.

"A donation will be made to Women's Aid."

Refuge CEO Sandra Horley slammed the comment as "absolutely inexcusable".

She said: "It is all too easy to dismiss comments like these as a joke, but at Refuge we know that domestic violence takes lives and ruins lives."

The column also sparked a storm on Twitter, on which Zoo also placed an apology.

One person wrote: "How dire must a man's straits be for him to turn to Danny Dyer for advice?"

Dyer was quoted on The Sun's website as saying he had not made the quotes. He said: "This is totally out of order, I am totally devastated."

hnews@herald.ie