A version used on the CBeebies channel was altered so rather than "couldn't put Humpty together again" all the King's horses "made Humpty happy again".

The broadcaster said the change was made purely for creative reasons rather than trying to give a soft version of the rhyme for children.

A spokeswoman said: "We play nursery rhymes with their original lyrics all the time and the small change to Humpty Dumpty was done for no other reason than being creative and entertaining."

Labour MP Tom Harris told the Independent on Sunday: "For goodness sake. Obviously children will find it far too violent, distressing and horrific that Humpty should not be put back together again.

"This is what happens when adults try to make these kinds of judgments."

He told the newspaper that he had also seen Little Miss Muffet changed on the channel, so that she made friends with the spider instead of running away.

But the BBC spokeswoman said that alteration was made for similar creative reasons and there was "nothing more to it than that."