A PRESTON animal rights group has claimed victory after the broadcast of a 'trash' TV programme featuring animals competing against humans was postponed.

Man Versus Beast was listed in television guides to be shown on ITV1 on Saturday, November 1, but it never hit screens.

Preston-based Captive Animals' Protection Society (CAPS) complained to Granada and ITV about the show, and is now spearheading a campaign along with 13 other groups, including the RSPCA, to stop it ever being shown.

CAPS, set up in 1957, believed it had convinced the television giants to pull the plug on the show, hosted by former footballer John Fashanu, which features him out-staring an alligator.

But programme bosses have denied complaints from CAPS forced them to do a U-turn and are pressing ahead with plans to screen the show at a later date.

CAPS, however, which is opposed to the captivity of wildlife for entertainment, say they will demonstrate outside television studios to stop the show from being broadcast if they have to.

Honorary treasurer for CAPS, Sue Berry, 54, of Penwortham, said: "We are considering protesting. I have written letters personally to programme makers and I campaign not just for animal rights but for lack of justice everywhere.

"There are wild animals in the show and there is a good chance one of the humans could get hurt as well."

Yvette Dore, spokesman for ITV who commission the programme, said: "We will be broadcasting the show.

"We have had a number of complaints from animal lobby groups, but we are not taking them into consideration as there has been no cruelty to animals in the making of the programme. The animals have trainers on hand all the time."

This view was backed by programme makers Granada Television.

Spokesman Ben Webster said: "The television listings are regularly changed and Man Versus Beast was never scheduled for Saturday.

"We are planning to air the programme at a later date."

But CAPS is determined the show, which features an orang-utan in a tug of war with a man, will be scrapped.

Craig Redmond, spokesman for CAPS, which has also lobbied against bicycle manufacturer Halfords to stop them using chimpanzees in commercials, said: "A programme like Man Versus Beast is simply an animal circus and should be rejected. It's trash TV!

"The programme drags us back years in our approach towards animals."

His views were echoed by the director general of the RSPCA, Jackie Ballard, who said: "We strongly oppose any programmes that subject animals to behaviour that is not normal and therefore does not come naturally to them.

"It is very sad that programme makers consider degrading animals in this way purely for entertainment and we would urge people to avoid watching these shows and to complain to the programme makers.

"Animals like bears and elephants are wild animals and should be treated as such."