AceShowbiz - Sir Elton John's touching family portrait on the cover of America's Us Weekly magazine has been covered up with a "Family Shield" by one retailer in Arkansas in a bid to "protect" shoppers. The rocker and his life partner David Furnish showed off their newborn son Zachary on the cover of last week's Us Weekly - but the happy snap has proved too shocking for homophobes in Mountain Home.

Local resident Jennifer Huddleston came across the censored edition of the publication in a Harps grocery store, and she was so surprised to see the magazine with a protective plastic shield, she snapped a photo and posted it on her Twitter.com blog. The picture has sparked controversy across the blogosphere and prompted representatives from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation to investigate.

According to a company spokesperson, Harps bosses reacted in response to "several" customer complaints at that particular store, although the rep insisted the move was "in no way our opinion on this issue", adding, "We do not have an opinion on this issue."

Huddleston tweeted later, "I wanted to let you know that the 'family shields' have been taken down at the Harps grocery store. Thanks you for your help!!"