LONDON, Dec 2: "Coronation Street", Britain's longest-running soap and one of its most popular TV programmes, is at the centre of a religious row after Hindus expressed shock at a scene that showed a Hindu statue being wielded as a weapon.

The Hindu Forum of Britain, the largest umbrella body for British Hindus, complained to producers ITV after a character threatened to hit another with a statue of the elephant-headed god, Lord Ganesh.

Hindus consider Ganesh, the remover of obstacles on the spiritual path, one of the greatest demi-gods in their pantheon. The ITV apologized but a spokesman for the Hindu Forum said the Hindu community was greatly offended by the "irresponsible" scene.

In a written apology, ITV spokesman David Nugent said the original scene was to show one character hitting another with the statue, but that it was modified for being "deeply offensive".

"Coronation Street", first broadcast in 1960, has evolved from a parochial look at life in Manchester to a racier programme that embraces the full spectrum of modern Britain. -Reuters