Why Cruella de Vil's cigarette could put an 18 certificate on 101 Dalmatians

But 101 Dalmatians, Pinocchio and Alice In Wonderland could all be given 18 certificates under draconian moves to discourage smoking.

Council leaders will today be asked to use special powers to put restrictive ratings on films which feature the habit.

But the move could mean children would be banned from watching Disney classics, James Bond, Sherlock Holmes, Popeye, Peter Pan and a host of other films and feature-length cartoons.

Classic children's films including 101 Dalmatians, which features Cruella de Vil smoking, could be given an x-rating

Film-makers and censors have been under increasing pressure to remove smoking scenes after research suggested children were influenced by fictional characters lighting up on screen.

Now anti-smoking groups have targeted councils which have the power to act as local censors and alter the British Board of Film Classification certification of a movie.

Today council leaders from the ten regions which form the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities will be asked to put higher age certificates on films that show smoking.

The move has been attacked by prosmoking group Forest, whose spokesman Neil Rafferty said: 'Film-makers should not be dictated over the content of their films.

'It is an attack on freedom of expression and it is an absurdity that films such as 101 Dalmatians could be given an 18 certificate.

Bad examples: Sherlock Holmes, played by Ian Richardson, and Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again, have been blamed for encouraging smoking

'Children should be warned over the dangers of smoking but to remove all smokers from sight is beyond the pale.'

The British Board of Film Classification insisted there was no need to classify all films as 18 just because they showed characters smoking.

A spokesman said: 'If we see smoking in films which is actively promoting smoking to young people we would take action against them, give them a higher rating if necessary.

'But there is less and less smoking in films these days simply because people are unable to smoke in public locations.'