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KIDS’ cartoons such as Peppa Pig and Frozen are too violent, experts say.

A study found nearly nine incidents of pain or brutality depicted in an hour.

Kids' TV favourite Peppa Pig is too violent for children according to experts
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Kids' TV favourite Peppa Pig is too violent for children according to expertsCredit: PA:Press Association

Around half of those sparked zero sympathy from other characters, giving kids a distorted view of violence, researchers say.

They studied six children’s TV series, including Paw Patrol and The Octonauts, plus ten films, such as Finding Dory and Toy Story 3, aimed at four to six-year-olds.

Some 454 painful incidents were identified over 52 hours — 8.7 per hour. Violent injury was the most common, found in 79 per cent.

Boy characters were more prone to severe pain and there was a general lack of empathy from bystanders.

Researchers also studied six TV series, including Paw Patrol, and found 454 painful incidents in 52 hours
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Researchers also studied six TV series, including Paw Patrol, and found 454 painful incidents in 52 hoursCredit: Alamy

The British and Canadian psychologists described their findings as “shocking”.

Dr Abbie Jordan, of Bath University, said understanding pain has long-term consequences for kids.

She added: “These programmes could do much more to help by modelling it in different ways and crucially by showing more empathy when characters experience pain.”

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