Gromit strikes a familiar pose Enlarge Image

The new image is based on the original 1898 His Master's Voice oil painting which features Nipper the dog listening to an early gramophone recording.

HMV will be using the image for three months to support the promotion of children's DVDs at its stores.

Bosses assured customers Nipper was not in danger and would still represent HMV in other uses of its logo.

'Much loved'

Aardman's Nick Park said: "It's a great honour to be stepping in the same paw prints as an icon as big as Nipper. Gromit will look after 'the seat' for as long as Nipper allows."

HMV marketing director Graham Sim said: "I can't imagine that we would have entrusted our brand to anyone other than Aardman, who, in Wallace and Gromit, have created a much-loved British institution.

"We're delighted that Gromit has agreed to stand in for Nipper on this one occasion."

The original picture, together with its copyright, were sold to the Gramophone Company, now EMI, for £100 in 1898, with Nipper first appearing on an HMV record label in 1907.