Mice snub cheese says academic

Dr Holmes claims mice prefer foods high in sugar

The cartoon image that mice love cheese is a myth, an academic has claimed.

Dr David Holmes, from Manchester Metropolitan University, said that mice would be more likely to be lured into a trap by cereal.

He said: "Mice respond to the smell, texture and taste of food and cheese is something that would not be available to them in their natural environment."

The findings were part of a wider study into what foods attract and repel animals.

Researchers found a mouse's diet is primarily made up of grains and fruit.

Unlike the cartoon character Jerry , a real mouse would turn its nose up at something as strong in smell and rich in taste as cheese.