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A ferry company has issued an apology after children were left "screaming" when an adult film was mistakenly broadcast on one of its ships travelling from France to Sussex.
DFDS said it was "very sorry" over the disturbing incident, which happened onboard the ferry from Dieppe in France to Newhaven.
In the official statement, the company said that an adult film was broadcast mistakenly on the lounge television to passengers who had been watching an F1 grand prix, causing children onboard to be exposed to what one passenger described as "hardcore porn".
A spokesperson said the incident took place during a delay, when the ferry was sent back to France because of a technical fault at Newhaven port.
The incident which took place at the end of October unfolded when a group of passengers requested to watch the grand prix on the television in the onboard lounges, and the film played immediately after the race was concluded.
DFDS said the crew was not aware the film was due to be broadcast, adding, "Once the crew were alerted to the content, the channel was swiftly changed."
Describing the incident, a passenger spoke to the Argus newspaper and shared, "Suddenly, kids ran out of the recliner lounge area screaming. Some parents came out and they were asking the man who worked there to sort the TV out, they were saying: 'There's hardcore porn on the TV.'"
The company revealed that the channel has been removed from the available stations list on the boat, assuring passengers that such an incident will never happen again.
