THOUGH it has earned a British Board of Film Classification 12 rating banning under-12s from seeing it because of its high levels of so-called 'fantasy violence,' I'd guess the hit film Spider-Man is no worse than what kids see on TV every day nowadays.

But if for the sake of protecting them from exposure to more of the same at the flicks, council officials at Burnley and the leader of Ribble Valley Council have overruled the board and exercised their powers to 'upgrade' the film's rating to PG - which stands for Parental Guidance - do they not need some guidance themselves in the guidelines?

For rather than making it harder for younger or more impressionable children to see the blockbuster film, their intervention has, in fact, made it easier.

That's because the PG classification allows unaccompanied children of any age to watch. The only real condition on a film with that rating is that it should not disturb a child aged around eight or older - with parents being advised to consider whether its contents would upset younger or more sensitive children.

A case of 'Oops!' perhaps - and of our well-intentioned local film censors at local level needing to do a Spider-Man... and look before they leap?