Swear word removed from Wilson kids' book

Dame Jacqueline Wilson's book My Sister Jodie has been altered after parents complained that a word was inappropriate.

Publisher Random House says that it has sold more than 150,000 copies of My Sister Jodie and has received just three complaints.

Nevertheless, the publishing house has said that the book will be reprinted with the word in question changed by one letter to "twit".

Former Children's Laureate Dame Jacqueline has sold more than 30 million books and is known for tackling relevant subjects such as teenage pregnancy, domestic violence and failed suicides in her novels.

A spokeswoman for Random House said: "We are very sorry if anyone is offended by the language. Jacqueline Wilson aims to reflect the realities of modern life."

John Simpson, the chief editor of the Oxford English Dictionary, also defended Dame Jacqueline, saying: "I do not think it is felt to be the worst swear word in the language. I am a bit surprised that it has been taken out."

Dame Jacqueline is not the only writer to include the offending word in a piece of art. Robert Browning used it in his dramatic poem Pippa Passes (1841).