A playgroup summer fundraiser has been thrown into disarray after its star Peppa Pig was detained at customs.

The children's TV character was to play a major part in Priory Park Playgroup's Summer Fair in Cambridge, but was blocked from entering the UK.

You may be wondering if the pig failed to check 'I have been in proximity of livestock' on the customs declaration form, but the truth is more boring.

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Fundraising manager Helly Holmes bought a £210 Peppa Pig costume for the event, but after being dispatched from China it was confiscated upon arrival in the UK for violating intellectual property rights.

"I thought I’d probably have to dress up and a few of us were going to take it in turns but we needed a costume so I bought one on eBay", she told Cambridge News.

"It said official Peppa Pig and it was more expensive than the others. It said it was available in the UK and it had good ratings."

"The border force wrote to me saying Peppa Pig’s been detained at customs," the 35 -year-old added, "They confirmed it should be destroyed.

"Obviously I was very upset for the children. We’d already advertised that Peppa Pig was coming."