TV bosses today axed a heat of popular quiz show Fifteen To One after the Lancashire Evening Telegraph revealed it had been won by a convicted sex offender.

Channel 4 programme makers also announced that they would edit the man out of the show's grand final before it is screened at Christmas.

A review into the way contestants are screened is also under way.

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph revealed on Tuesday that the man, a former teacher in East Lancashire who can not be named following a judge's ruling, was convicted at Preston Crown Court in 1994 of four sex assaults on girl pupils and was jailed for two years.

The alert was raised after it was revealed that the 42-year-old man, who lives in Burnley and works in Accrington, had taken part in Fifteen To One recordings.

The revelations prompted broadcasting minister and Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson, to call for a tightening up of vetting procedures by TV companies -- a view echoed by Burnley MP Peter Pike.

Channel 4 said the heat of the show, regularly seen by around two million viewers, would be replaced by a repeat programme when it was due to screened, on December 18. In addition, the early stages of the grand final, hosted by presenter William G Stewart and due to be broadcast over the Christmas period, will be edited to exclude the contestant-- making the final Fourteen To One.

A spokesman for Channel 4 said: "We have been made aware that a contestant due to appear in two episodes of Fifteen To One had a serious criminal conviction.

"A court order prevents us from identifying the contestant or commenting on the details of his conviction

"In addition, due to its serious nature, Channel 4 has decided that it would be inappropriate for the contestant to appear on the show."

"A review of screening procedures for contestants is now taking place."

Today Mr Pike said he welcomed Channel 4's decision to exclude the contestant.

"I am very pleased by this -- it seems a sensible decision."

He added: "I hope the policy review is sufficiently rigorous to prevent any repeat of this kind of thing."

Janet Anderson said: " I am pleased at this development. It seems a sensible solution to a difficult dilemma. I now hope the programme's makers and other broadcasters will take a serious look at their vetting procedures in the light of what happened."