No Poppins for under-sevens

The West End version of Mary Poppins has been declared too scary for young children.

The film starring Julie Andrews is a well established favourite of children of all ages but the makers of the theatre production have declared it is not suitable for the under-sevens. Children under three are barred completely.

Theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh and Disney theatre boss Tom Schumacher made the decision after making the production more faithful to the original books by Pamela Travers in which Mary Poppins is a vain and irritable character created as a lesson about growing up and the dangers of repression.

Notices have been put up around the Prince Edward Theatre in Soho to warn customers and a message has been left on the ticket line.