A "PRIEST" who stars in a controversial ad campaign for a chocolate bar banned by Burnley FC has confessed: "I'm a Clarets fan!"

The magazine campaign for Snickers features Des Cummings as the priest taking Manchester United "bad boy" Roy Keane's confessions about shoving, punching and kicking opponents.

Burnley FC banned the bar from being sold at Turf Moor after a promotion on the wrapper poked fun at Clarets fans.

Des, from Burnley, said he got a call out of the blue to take part in the "confessional" ad which was filmed in Manchester to coincide with the World Cup. It was meant to go out on TV but ended up just being used in print ads.

He admitted he did not know about the "bust up" between his favourite club and Snickers but added: "I support Burnley and I wouldn't have been happy if I'd known about this other thing with Snickers."

In the advert, which is set in a confessional box, tough man Keane lists all his bad behaviour, including swearing at referees and his fears of what he could do to opponents next season.

Des starts to eat a Snickers bar as he listens to the soccer star. Keane tells Des, a retired Lucas Aerospace worker: "Father forgive me. It's two seasons since my last confession."

Des, who lives off Briercliffe Road, featured on the local amateur theatre scene before turning professional when he retired.

"I hadn't done any work for ages and they just phoned me up one day and asked if I could do this. I wasn't going to do it at first but they said they were stuck.

"The idea was for it to go out during the World Cup but in the end they used another advert with Andy Gray."

Des was impressed with his co-star. "Roy Keane was a very modest, quietly spoken guy," he said. "He's a very good player, I wish Burnley had him!"

Snickers bars were banned from Turf Moor after wrappers in a competition run by confectionery giant Mars made reference to Clarets supporters turning their backs on the team in an infamous 1996 match when Jimmy Mullen was manager.

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