Shocking! Cafe's bad taste billboard in town where girl, 5, was abducted and murdered

A cafe has come under fire for displaying a billboard which encourages people to eat cake because the 'more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap' in the town where April Jones was murdered.

Residents in Machynlleth, Mid Wales, claim to be outraged after spotting the blackboard outside a cafe which says: 'The more you weigh, the harder you are to kidnap! Stay safe. Eat cake!!'

The chalk sign comes after five-year-old April was abducted near her home in Machynlleth in 2012.

Her disappearance sparked the largest ever search in UK history but her body was never found, and Mark Bridger was later convicted of her murder.

Residents said they were 'shocked' by the 'distasteful' billboard outside the town's Chimes cafe, claiming it was offensive not only to the family but also those in the town who remember the tragedy three years ago.

Angharad Penrhyn Jones said: 'In view of what happened to April Jones this is shocking.

'I went to talk to cafe owner and apparently the sign is "humorous", the kidnapping happened "years ago", and I am being "hypersensitive".

She also posted a picture of the sign on Twitter, with the words: 'How not to market your cafe in a town that's witnessed the kidnapping of a young girl.'

Mike Parker, an author and former parliamentary candidate, added: 'I think the sign is totally inappropriate and my first thought was how distasteful it was considering what had happened previously in the town'.

However, the owner of the cafe has branded them 'hypersensitive', claiming they have 'taken the sign the wrong way'.

A cafe spokesman, who did not give her name, said the sign was not meant to be distasteful or offensive.

She added the sign had been on 'display for many weeks' and she had 'only received one comment'.

'April Jones's family have been in here recently, when the sign was up, and have not said anything,' she added.

However, she admitted she could 'appreciate how others would interpret the message', but believes those who have complained 'have taken it the wrong way'.

The cafe is situated behind the landmark clock tower in Machynlleth, which played a prominent visual role during the search for April when a large pink ribbon was placed on the railings outside.

Mark Bridger, 47, of Ceinws, Powys, was found guilty of abducting and murdering April in a sexually-motivated attack and must spend the rest of his life behind bars.