Pagans upset over 180-ft. Homer

CERNE ABBAS, England, July 18 (UPI) -- A 180-foot-long drawing of Homer Simpson next to an enormous, sacred carving in Dorset, England, has angered pagans, Sky News reported Wednesday.

The group has vowed to do a little "rain magic" to wash away the cartoon character, which was rendered with biodegradable paint on a hillside next to the famous 17th Century fertility symbol, the Cerne Abbas giant.

The picture of Homer Simpson eating a doughnut was etched alongside the chalk outline of the naked, club-wielding giant as a publicity stunt to promote the upcoming release of "The Simpsons Movie."

"It's tradition for young women and amorous couples to visit the giant to ensure conception," Liz Westcott, a spokeswoman for the marketing firm Beatwax, told the Dorset Echo, adding that the Homer painting mirrors the original in some ways.

"Brandishing his very own magical symbol, a doughnut, is bound to cause quite a stir," she said. "Couples are hoping his magic will rub off on them if they do it in the doughnut."

However, the Pagan Federation called the stunt disrespectful. A spokeswoman said she was surprised permission had been granted for the Simpson drawing.