Gromit special taken off YouTube

A Matter of Loaf and Death is being shown on BBC One

Video of a Wallace and Gromit film to be televised by the BBC on Christmas Day has been removed from YouTube.

Several clips from A Matter of Loaf and Death, totalling 30 minutes, had been placed on the video-sharing website.

Bristol-based Aardman Animations, which created Wallace and Gromit, said it had "no idea" how the material had got out.

The film, which was posted by someone in Canada, featured poor sound and appeared to be a live recording from a video camera or mobile phone.

A message on YouTube accompanying the removed recording reads: "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Aardman Animations Ltd."

In a statement, Aardman's digital content manager Robin Gladman said: "We are working with YouTube and using its technologies to manage our content on the site and effectively deal with unauthorised uploading."

Two exclusive showings of the film at the Electric Picture House in South Gloucestershire last weekend helped to raise