Campaign group Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLAs) says the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is to condemn a series of posters as "exaggerated".

The NFLAs made the original complaint about the adverts from BNFL, and the group of local councils is celebrating even though the ASA has not annouced its ruling.

More than 100 local authorities across the UK are behind the NFLAs committee, which complained about BNFL's assertion that it had "perfected ways to deal with all types of nuclear waste".

The advertising authority publishes its findings next month

This phrase was repeated through a series of trade advertisements in 1998, and the councils say it breached the ASA's code of conduct.

The NFLAs say the ASA's reported decision exposes the gulf between BNFL's public relations and the reality of nuclear waste management.

The reported finding comes a month after a highly critical Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on poor waste management at BNFL sites including Sellafield in Cumbria.

BNFL launched its latest public relations drive on Boxing Day with a new 50-second TV advertisement, a campaign it has described as "surreal".

But the councils say is that it is an expensive distraction from urgent safety work at Sellafield highlighted by the HSE.

BNFL's publicity campaign includes a visitor centre at Sellafield

If the ASA has ruled in the NFLAs favour it is their second victory over the industry in five years.

In 1994, the advertising authority upheld a complaint about misleading advertising by the then generator, Nuclear Electric.

This news also follows criticism last year about "inaccurate" nuclear industry advertising in the US.

BNFL is refusing to accept the decision yet. A spokesman said: "The complaint is still under consideration at the moment."

An ASA spokesman admitted a decision had been reached but said more details could not be given until next month.

"In this instance we received one complaint and the investigation has been on-going for around eight months," he said.

"In the past we have received nine complaints about BNFL advertising since 1995 but they have never been upheld."