IN 1995 the Adver ran a picture showing three men gazing in horror and disgust at something.

The most familiar of the faces belonged to David Glaholm, a magistrate, councillor and former Mayor of Thamesdown.

The others were those of David Easter, deputy headteacher of what is now known as Brimble Hill School, and a Westlea father-of-three called Mick Doswell.

And the thing they were reacting to?

It was something we described as a video nasty, but it wasn’t one of the horror or slasher films banned from home distribution during the video nasty hysteria a decade or so earlier.

“This one,” we said, “is called Ultimate Fighting Championship 2 and has shocked many people who have viewed it.

“What makes it particularly unpleasant is the fact that all the action is for real. There are no special effects, make-up or acting.

“When the blood spills, bones get broken or teeth knocked out it really happens.

“Some shops have refused to stock it, but others have it openly on sale with an 18 certificate.”

More than two decades later, with horrific images of death and violence readily obtainable on any device with an internet connection, such concern over what was no more than a mixed martial arts tournament might seem strange.

However, by the standards of the day the footage, which was initially seen on cable TV in the US, was fairly shocking.

We ran a series of grainy images taken from the screen, in which an unfortunate fighter underwent a thorough battering.

Coun Glaholm walked out halfway through our special screening at the Adver office, disgusted by the constant pummelling and kicking on screen.

He said: “It’s sick. I don’t believe in censorship, so I think it is wrong to ban it.

“The activity should be banned or controlled.

“This simply glorifies thuggery.”

Mr Easter said he would be deeply concerned if children saw the video, and added: “It could be used as a benchmark for violence.”

Mr Doswell, whose own children were aged eight, 10 and 11, said: “It’s typical American garbage. I don’t think that many English audiences will watch it.

“I used to do martial arts and it was nothing like this.”

HMV in Regent Street and Our Price records at the Brunel – the site which is now occupied by That’s Entertainment – were among the shops selling the video.

Woolworths and WH Smith were among those which declined to do so.