A Canadian academic says children's programme 'Thomas the Tank Engine' is sexist.

The University of Alberta's Shauna Wilton, a professor of political sciences, started her study after watching the show with her three-year-old daughter.

After studying 23 episodes and analysing major aspects like characters and plots, Wilton declared the show sexist, according to ananova.com.

Wilton said only eight characters out of the 49 in the programme are female.

"The female characters weren't necessarily portrayed any more negatively than the male characters or the male trains, but they did tend to play more secondary roles and they're often portrayed as being bossy or know-it-alls," she said.

If these characters attempt to grab individual power, they are usually punished, says Wilton.