Not grrrreat: After five decades, anti-obesity Bill could ban cartoon Tony the tiger from TV

But Tony the Frosties Tiger could soon be on the endangered list following a new anti-obesity drive.

Scottish MP Nigel Griffiths has launched a Private Members Bill calling for tighter curbs on the marketing of unhealthy foods to children.

The move could sound the death knell for TV adverts featuring popular cartoon characters such as Tony and Coco the Coco Pops Monkey.

The MP's campaign follows research last year by consumer group Which?

In a report called Cartoon Heroes and Villains, it criticised the use of animated characters in advertising campaigns for "junk food" aimed at children.

Which? highlighted several brands of cereal including Frosties. It said the sugar level in Frosties, at 37g of sugar per 100g of cereal, was potentially unhealthy.

Four out of five people questioned by Which? were in favour of stricter rules on marketing children's food products.

Regulations were put in place last year banning TV adverts for high fat, sugar and salt foods specifically aimed at primary school children or younger.

But last night, Edinburgh South Labour MP Mr Griffiths said these did not go far enough.

He added: "The problem is very real. The Government's Foresight Report has indicated a massive rise in obesity and diabetes among young people over the next few decades and I am acting on this.

"The measures put in place last year state that this kind of marketing cannot happen between programmes where 50 per cent or more of the audience is under 16.

"But this does not take into account popular prime-time family shows such as Ant and Dec and this way they are getting around it."

Mr Griffiths wants to introduce a 9pm watershed for TV advertising of "junk" food.

He has also called for controls on other forms of marketing such as promotions on packages and online sales campaigns.

The Which? report said that curbs on such non-broadcast promotions were either weak or non-existent.

It also said there were "inadequate" controls on the use of branded cartoon characters in broadcast adverts.

Which? chief policy adviser Sue Davies said: "There are precious few examples of cartoons being used to promote healthy products."

The group carried out a survey of 2,027 adults in which 84 per cent thought the Government needed to do more to control the marketing of "junk foods" to children.

Clare Corbett, food campaigner at Which?, said: "With childhood obesity and diet-related health problems on the increase, the Government must take serious action - and soon."

If Mr Griffiths' Bill is to pass through Parliament, more than 100 MPs must attend the debate on April 25.

But research conducted last year by The Grocer magazine found that more than 80 per cent of all cereals could be banned during children's TV, a move it branded "Draconian".