A British town made famous by Sacha Baron Cohen's comedy creation Ali G has been renamed.

Staines in Surrey, England was famously lampooned by the British comic as the hometown of his rapper character in popular TV series Da Ali G Show and 2002 movie Ali G Indahouse.

However, officials in the area have now voted to change the town's name to Staines-upon-Thames in a bid to distance themselves from the Ali G link.

Local councilor Colin Davis tells Britain's Independent, "There is no doubt that the name Staines lends itself readily to humor. We are actually a green and leafy town, with lots of old buildings and a beautiful Thames (river) frontage."

"Then Ali G came along and there was a lot of negativity."