Children's Road Safety TV Adverts To Be Axed

Television adverts teaching children how to cross the road are to be scrapped for the first time in 60 years - despite a rise in the number of deaths.

Campaigns such as Tufty the Squirrel and the Green Cross Code man will be axed due to Department for Transport budget cuts.

Road safety campaigners have criticised the decision, saying it will lead to more youngsters being killed on Britain's streets.

Official figures show the number of children killed or seriously injured on the roads has risen by 8%.

In the three months to September, 420 died or suffered severe injuries, compared to 390 during the same period in 2011.

The series of puppet animation road safety adverts featuring Tufty the Squirrel were created in the 1950s to introduce clear and simple safety messages.

The Green Cross Code, which has undergone several changes over the years, followed urging pedestrians to "Stop, Look, Listen, Think", or "Stop, Look, Listen, Live".

The character fronting the advert, the Green Cross Man, was a costumed superhero created in 1970 as an aid to teaching young children the code, and for promoting general road safety.