THE creators of a newly released Hollywood film featuring one of the Lake District's most famous characters have apologised for insensitively depicting a character's allergy after an online backlash.

In Peter Rabbit - a modern-day interpretation of the famous Beatrix Potter story - the character of Mr McGregor is allergic to blackberries.

The offending scene shows rabbits pelting the fruit, with one thrown into his mouth, forcing him to use an EpiPen to treat his reaction.

The filmmakers behind Peter Rabbit and Sony Pictures released a joint statement acknowledging that "food allergies and are a serious issue" and the film "should not have made light" of a character being allergic to blackberries "even in a cartoonish, slapstick way".

The charity group Kids with Food Allergies posted a warning about the scene on its Facebook page on Friday, prompting some on Twitter to start using the hashtag #boycottpeterrabbit.

The group said that allergy jokes are harmful to their community and that making light of the condition "encourages the public not to take the risk of allergic reactions seriously".

Kenneth Mendez, the president and chief executive of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, wrote an open letter to the studio on Saturday asking for the opportunity to educate the company and the film's cast on the realities of food allergies and urged the studio to "examine your portrayal of bullying in your films geared toward a young audience".

A petition has also been launched by Global Anaphylaxis Awareness and Inclusivity - attracting almost 10,000 signatures.

The studio and filmmakers said that they, "Sincerely regret not being more aware and sensitive to this issue, and we truly apologise."

Blending live action with CGI animation, Peter Rabbit is the latest adaptation of Beatrix Potter's stories and features James Corden voicing her best-known character in a starring role.

Filming took place in Ambleside and Windermere in April last year, with Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne and Sam Neill appearing alongside the voice talents of Daisy Ridley and Margot Robbie.

The "allergy bullying" controversy follows the film's US release last weekend. It hits UK screens on March 16.

Reviews across the Atlantic have been mixed thus far, though UK-based critics questioned the film's faithfulness to the source after the promotional trailer depicted Peter Rabbit 'twerking'.

The character debuted in Beatrix Potter's 1902 book The Tale of Peter Rabbit.

After the book's success, she used the proceeds to purchase Hill Top Farm in Near Sawrey. Peter would appear in five other of Potter's works written between 1904 and 1912.