A Punch and Judy man was dealt a blow after a halt was called to his shows at Kent & East Sussex Railway’s popular Thomas the Tank Engine days.

Children’s entertainer Myles Phillips, known as Mr Mystery, has been doing the shows at the Tenterden station for 10 years at the Day Out With Thomas events, to the delight of children and their parents.

But at a Thomas & Friends themed event at KESR at the weekend, his usual eight shows were reduced to four.

He said that he’s been told by railway bosses that his Punch and Judy show will no longer be required in the future, although he could continue to perform his magic tricks at railway events.

Mr Phillips said: “It’s a crying shame that there will be no more Punch and Judy on Thomas days. I’m very annoyed about it.”

A representative from HiT Entertainment, the corporation behind the Thomas & Friends licence, has suggested that the railway’s themed days should be “on brand”.

The warring puppets will be replaced with official entertainment from Thomas’s two station sweepers, Rusty and Dusty.

Graham Sivyer, manager of KESR, confirmed that discussions had been held over the terms of licence for the popular event.

He said: “It has been suggested to us by HiT that featuring Rusty and Dusty would be more on brand. They are great characters and we have fun with them washing Thomas’s face using a mop and bucket and with story-telling.”

He added: “I wouldn’t go as far to say that there is a ban on Punch and Judy.”

Mr Phillips said: “I’m very annoyed about it and if this ban has been applied to railways across the country then thousands of children could be deprived of seeing something they love.

“I have a big marquee at the station that’s packed out. Sometimes children are sitting in the aisles and adults are standing at the back just so they can see the show.”

One railway day enthusiast said: “The decision to remove Punch and Judy from the Thomas day has been made by a couple of people in suits in an office and it’s wrong because children want to see Mr Punch and they love him.

“I heard that it’s because Punch and Judy don’t belong to the Thomas story but as far as I can remember, Rusty and Dusty were not part of the original books so it throws that argument right out of the window.”

He added: “It’s a terrible tragedy as Punch and Judy is part of the British national heritage and it’s important to keep it.”