Talking children’s toy My Pal Violet was accused of teaching kids to swear.

Banbury mother Leigh McPearson was disgusted to hear the toy apparently sing “if you’re happy and you know if f*** with me” to four-month-old Mia Halligan.

And one Carterton couple have said the cuddly purple dog has been responsible for a few marital problems too.

Elizabeth Wells, 25, has recalled how two-year-old daughter, Grace, blurted out a four-letter word in her hairdressers, and how she at first blamed husband, John, 30.

The Carterton resident said: “She just stood up and announced the ‘f’ word, right in front of my hairdresser and my sister.

“I was so embarrassed and told her she shouldn’t say such a naughty word.”

There was only one place Mrs Wells thought Grace could have learned the word — so she went home and blamed her husband, a Lead Airman on HMS Ark Royal.

She said: “We had a big argument about it.

“I knew I never swear in front of the kids, so it had to be him. But he insisted it wasn’t.”

It was only when the Banbury story was reported in media that she found out the truth.

She said: “Well, when I saw the toy in the paper, I ran upstairs and listened to the toy and just said ‘oh my Lord’.”

Eight-month-old son, Ellis, had also received one of the £22 toys, and was sleeping in his cot with it.

Both have now been confiscated by Mrs Wells.

She said: “They were quite upset because Grace has got quite attached to hers and sits and sings with it, but they had to be taken off them.

“We made it a rule never to swear in front of the children, and so I was pretty mortified when this happened.

“And I’ve apologised to John for blaming him.

“We’ll be a bit more cautious about buying talking toys from now on.”

John added: “At least I’m in the clear.”

A LeapFrog spokesman apologised for the incident, and the company has offered to replace the toys.

She said: “We take the utmost care to ensure that the recordings are conducted accurately, but sometimes people may misinterpret those recordings, as in this case. All of our products pass all quality tests in all countries within which we trade.

“We take these issues very seriously, and have already reviewed our recording process to ensure the highest standards.”