London, Jan. 24: A story based on the Three Little Pigs has been rejected by a government quango in case it offends Muslims.

The digital remake of the children’s classic was criticised by Becta, the education technology agency, because “the use of pigs raises cultural issues”. Officials also attacked the story — called The Three Little Cowboy Builders — for stereotyping the building trade.

The comments were condemned by the computer programme’s creator as “a slap in the face”. It is the latest in a string of bans slapped on seemingly innocuous children’s stories and nursery rhymes.

In the past, Baa Baa Black Sheep has become Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep to satisfy race relations, the Seven Dwarfs have been axed from Snow White to avoid offending the vertically challenged and the ending of Humpty Dumpty has been censored for fear of upsetting sensitive children.

The latest controversy was sparked during an awards ceremony designed to honour the best educational stories, programmes and teaching aids for children.

Dozens of companies submitted entries to the annual BETT awards, led by Becta, which heaped praise on a robot with 67 different manoeuvres, a computer programme which allows children to recreate Jackson Pollock paintings and a game helping pupils to learn French.

But Newcastle-based publishers Shoo Fly were shocked when judges told them that their interactive 3D book was unsuitable for children.