Paltrow criticised over girls bikinis on her website

Gwyneth Paltrow has been drawn into the row over the sexualisation of children, after promoting a bikini for girls of four years upwards on her lifestyle website Goop.

A two-piece black bikini, modelled on one exactly the same for adults and designed by Melissa Odabash, appears across the website's homepage.

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The designer is popular with stars including Kim Kardashian, Paris Hilton and Rihanna.

But campaigners have accused the star of endorsing clothing that is deemed to be too grown-up for young children.

A spokesperson for the charity Kidscape told the Daily Mail: “We remain very opposed to the sexualisation of children and of childhood.

“The dangers have been discussed at length, so it is a great pity that such trends continue and that they carry celebrity endorsement.”

The bikini is available in sizes for girls of four, six and eight, and costs £30.

It follows similar criticism of actress Liz Hurley, who was also targeted for producing a range of leopard skin pattern bikinis for girls as part of her own swimwear range.

Hurley's 'Mini Cha Cha Bikini' was aimed at girls from eight-years-old upwards, and described as 'great for girls who want to look grown up'.

A spokesperson for Paltrow told the Mail that any criticism of the range was 'absurd' and that 'two-piece bathing suits have been worn by young girls for decades'.

Last month Paltrow was heavily criticised by health experts after admitting she bans her children from eating carbs and that they're 'often hungry'.