London - The BBC is examining whether it could transmit a "vuvuzela free" version of its World Cup coverage after a flood of complaints from viewers about the controversial instruments.?

The British broadcaster has received 220 complaints about the noisy monotone trumpets and is believed to be looking at how it could provide a "clean" feed with most of the crowd noise stripped out, the Guardian reported on Tuesday.

Spectators of matches broadcast by the BBC annoyed at the vuvuzelas would have the option of turning off the crowd noise, according to the paper.

The news came amid continued controversy over the instruments, which have also been criticised by fellow broadcasters and some players.

Vuvuzela sales skyrocket

But despite annoying some viewers, the trumpets were proving popular in Britain. Large numbers flew off the shelves in the run-up to England's first World Cup match against the United States on Saturday.

Supermarket Sainsbury's sold 22 000 of the instruments in 12 hours before the match and online retailer Amazon said sales had skyrocketed 1 000%, said the Guardian.

Speculation that the horns, whose buzzing has been compared to a hornets' nest, could be banned at the tournament was quashed Monday when FIFA president Sepp Blatter ruled out the possibility.

"I don't see banning the music traditions of fans in their own country. Would you want to see a ban on the fan traditions in your country?" Blatter wrote on micro-blogging site Twitter.

"I have always said that Africa has a different rhythm, a different sound."

The possibility the horns could be banned was sparked by an interview given by the chairperson of the tournament's local organising committee, Danny Jordaan.

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