It was supposed to be a simple corporate announcement Tuesday about Entertainment One having in kids TV character Peppa Pig Britain’s top-selling pre-school toy property, surpassing the Thomas & Friends toy merchandise line spun-off from the Thomas the Tank Engine TV franchise.

But a day later, Entertainment One is dueling with HIT Entertainment, which owns the Thomas & Friends pre-school property, on who holds the UK”s top spot for toy sales.

Entertainment One in its press statement Tuesday said it had racked up a record £200 million ($315 million) in local licensing and merchandising sales for the Peppa Pig property in 2010.

But before long, Hit Entertainment issued its own press statement insisting Entertainment One’s claim about £200 million in 2010 toy sales for its lovable pig character was “inaccurate and misleading.”

A London-based spokesperson for HIT Entertainment offered no comment beyond insisting the Thomas & Friends property continues to hold a lead in the UK market over Peppa Pig when it comes to licensing and merchandising revenue.

Officials at Entertainment One were not available for comment on the British toy tussle.

But the indie producer told the Financial Times newspaper Wednesday that NPD, the official recorder of toy industry sales, “shows that Peppa Pig is ranked higher in total market value.”  The rivals appear divided over what constitutes a toy, and whether that includes lucrative DVD and book sales based on a kids TV franchise.