BLOGGER Steve Hynd is calling on the public to return the free copy of The Sun newspaper which was distributed to 22million homes on Thursday.

Mr Hynd, from Claypits Lane, Thrupp, was protesting against The Sun’s infamous nude page three photos which he described as ‘objectifying of men and women.’ The post on Mr Hynd’s website stevehynd.com went viral after he uploaded it on Thursday morning.

In just 24 hours 15,000 people saw the blog which encouraged readers to return their newspaper to The Sun’s freepost address at the paper’s cost.

Mr Hynd, 28, a part-time journalist and communications specialist, said: “I am a football fan committed to bringing justice for the 96 who lost their lives at Hillsborough, and as an equally passionate feminist I find page three utterly outdated and insulting.

“I long ago decided that I wouldn’t read The Sun, even if they paid me” added Mr Hynd, who is currently based in Uganda.

“This is how I had the idea of making the paper pay for pushing it through our doors.”

The free edition proved problematic for the newspaper, which claimed it would be ‘an unapologetic celebration of England’ as part of its World Cup campaign.

However, it was criticised by MP Tom Watson and Liverpool postmen refused to deliver the free edition in protest against the paper’s reporting of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

Mr Hynd also questioned The Sun’s choice not to publish an image of a naked woman on page three – causing him to wonder why the publication continued with the ‘outdated’ feature if it was prepared to drop it on this occasion.

A Sun spokesman said: “We are delighted the vast majority of people got behind our uplifting message of Englishness. We are fully aware that some people don’t like The Sun, but this project stands as a ringing endorsement for newspapers and the print product that everyone should want to see supported.”