SICK STUNT

DANIELLE HARRISON

SHOCKING images of a mock execution ridiculing soldiers who have lost their lives in combat have been slammed by the parent of a fallen serviceman.



The sickening stunt, staged in the Gamestation store at Burton's Coopers Square shopping centre, shows a man posing as a masked soldier kneeling at the mercy of two men in Middle Eastern-style costume with toy guns pointing at his head.

Another picture shows the men, again wearing Middle Eastern costume, sprinting through the deserted shopping centre flanked by people dressed in camouflage gear and poised with imitation firearms.

The disturbing pictures were posted on social networking site Facebook and could have been taken in November when the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare2 game was launched.

Promotional posters and pictures can be seen in the background of the Gamestation store photograph and the Burtonbased shop would have taken part in a nationwide midnight launch of the popular combat game.

The images were handed to the Mail by a parent of a fallen serviceman, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The parent said: "I saw these photographs published on a social networking site. As someone who has lost children to these conflicts I find it totally unacceptable to behave in this manner."

Gamestation has apologised for the pictures and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding their production.

A company spokesman said: "This type of behaviour goes against everything that Gamestation stands for.

We are disgusted that it could have happened in one of our stores.

"We have started a full investigation so we can take the appropriate disciplinary action.

"We offer a full and unreserved apology to everyone who is offended by these images and want to reassure customers that this isolated incident is being treated very seriously."

Coopers Square management had not responded to requests for a comment by the time the Mail went to press.