Around 20 supporters of a national Christian group last night held a peaceful protest against the staging of the controversial musical, Jerry Springer: The Opera, in St Andrews.

Members of the Christian Voice organisation, many carrying placards and banners, travelled to St Andrews to participate in the demonstration against the student production.

Among those present was the national director of Christian Voice, Stephen Green, who said: "This production is just filth. It is a great shame that the St Andrews students have put this on and I hope and pray it will be the last time."

He added that he had travelled from his home in Wales to "show solidarity" with those in Scotland who were against the production being performed.

Members of Christian Voice visited St Andrews last month to distribute leaflets protesting against the student production and urging people to contact the university executive expressing their opposition.

It is being performed by members of the Just So Musical Theatre Company.

The production is running as part of On The Rocks, a new arts festival at Scotland's oldest university which is being run entirely by students and is labelled as a national showcase of the best in comedy, poetry, literature, dance and music.

It ends next weekend and it is hoped that it will eventually become one of the highlights of the Scottish arts calendar.

When Jerry Springer: The Opera first hit the West End it sparked outrage among some in the UK's Christian community. It was widely criticised for depicting Jesus, Mary and God as guests on Jerry Springer's talk show, with one scene featuring Jesus in a nappy.

Christian Voice later followed the show around the country protesting outside theatres and urging Christians to send letters of protest to local councils.

The organisation also staged a series of protests at St Andrews University in 2004, when local students performed the equally controversial play Corpus Christi, penned by American playwright Terrence McNally.