Cinderella named 'top fairytale'

Cinderella is regularly revisited, as in this 1993 BBC television adaptation

Cinderella has been voted the most popular fairytale in a children's poll, more than 300 years after the story was written.

The classic tale was chosen by 36% of the 1,200 children questioned by cinema chain UCI.

Sleeping Beauty was second, with Hansel and Gretel in third place.

UCI spokeswoman Lianne Butterfield said: "The classic fairytales are timeless stories that have relevance to our lives today."

Defied

FAVOURITE FAIRYTALES 1. Cinderella 2. Sleeping Beauty 3. Hansel and Gretel 4. Rapunzel 5. Little Red Riding Hood Source: UCI Cinemas

Cinderella tells the story of the daughter who defies her cruel stepmother to meet her prince at a royal ball.

The 17th Century writer Charles Perrault is widely credited as its author, however there are written examples of stories similar to Cinderella in Chinese manuscripts from as early as 850AD.

With second favourite Sleeping Beauty winning 17% of the vote, Cinderella topped the fairytale poll by a considerable margin.

The story is regularly revived as a pantomime, has been adapted for television and was made into an animated film by Disney in 1950.

Disney also made a sequel, Cinderella II, two years ago.