Tom and Jerry to cut out smoking

Tom and Jerry cartoons will have some scenes of characters smoking edited out after a viewer complained about them being shown to children.

Two episodes - Texas Tom and Tennis Chumps - show the cartoon cat and his rival Butch smoking, but makers have now agreed to cut them out.

The move came after Ofcom, the group that keeps an eye on broadcasting, said the scenes might encourage the habit.

Scenes which glamorise smoking could be cut from all cartoons.

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Ofcom did say they recognised that the two episodes, which are over 50 years old, were made at a time when smoking was not considered as bad as it is today.

Smoking ban

According to reports Turner Broadcasting, which owns the rights to the Tom and Jerry cartoons, has said it will now cut smoking scenes out of about 1,500 of its cartoons.

These could also include episodes of Scooby Doo and The Flintstones.

A ban on smoking in public places will become law in England in July 2007. Scotland has already introduced a similar ban.