Bosses at opera house Glyndebourne have defended a £200,000 deal with a cigarette firm.

British American Tobacco (BAT) is sponsoring the venue's latest production of Bizet's Carmen, in which the heroine works in a cigarette factory.

The announcement was condemned by cancer charities and anti-smoking groups.

Lewes MP Norman Baker, whose constituency includes the world-famous venue, also criticised the move.

Mr Baker today said: "I would have thought Glyndebourne has a good enough reputation to be able to attract sponsorship without resorting to bodies which present ethical problems."

A spokesman for the Cancer Research Campaign said: "It is sad that Glyndebourne can't get the money from elsewhere."

The production of Carmen is due to be broadcast by the BBC on August 17.

Clive Bates, of anti-smoking group Ash, said BAT would be as "happy as Larry" if it manages to get its logo on to the television.

He said: "People ought to think very carefully about what tobacco corporations are trying to achieve when they give money."

A spokesman for BAT said: "It's not about brand sponsorship, such as Lucky Strike or Dunhill, because that would be completely inappropriate. It's the plc, the business entity.

"We sponsored a production at Glyndebourne in 1988 and we have been corporate members for years.

"Lots of businesses like to get involved in the community but, because we are a tobacco company, there will always be a minority of people who are unhappy with us whatever we do."

A BBC spokeswoman said the broadcast of the opera would contain no reference to the sponsor.

David Pickard, the opera's general director, said: "Glyndebourne receives no State funding and therefore, like many other charitable organisations in the arts, relies heavily on third party support.

"The tobacco industry in this country is a legal trade and Glyndebourne adopts a practical attitude to fund-raising.

"British American Tobacco's whole sponsorship profile has been discreet whilst transparent and we are very grateful for the generous level of support which it has given us for Carmen this year."