Sportswear giant Adidas has rapped Essex firemen after footballer Ian Wright's public show of support for them during the strike.

The West Ham striker twice revealed a T-shirt bearing the company's three-striped logo, the Fire Brigades Union's initials and the words "adinuff" during a match with Wimbledon.

The shirts became a familiar sight at union rallies - but it is thought Adidas is annoyed.

An Adidas spokesman warned Essex firefighters to stop using the T-shirts.

He said: "We are concerned that our logo is currently being used by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service in its dispute.

"We have spoken to the firemen and asked them to stop using it.

"Our logo is a valuable asset and we do everything we can to protect it, so we simply don't allow any other organisation to use it without our approval."

Wright escaped punishment from the FA for showing off the T-shirt, revealed when he pulled his kit over his head after twice scoring.

His was not the first public display of the T-shirts by publicity-conscious celebrities - pop acts Chumbawumba and All Saints sported them during the V98 concert in Chelmsford.

Keith Handscombe, the FBU's Essex secretary, said he had not heard anything from Adidas yet.

He said: "We took legal advice on the supply of the shirts in the first place and carried it out to the letter.

"I suppose they've got to protect their good name."

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