A mother has slammed the decision to ban parents from watching their children take part in a school athletics event.

Sandy Upper School hosted the East Beds Year three and four athletics
event on Wednesday, June 24.

It saw youngsters from lower schools in the Biggleswade and Sandy area
compete in long jump, hurdles, sprint, 400 metres, and relay races.

But one angry mother has hit out at the organisers who said this week they could not allow spectators as it is too high a security risk.

The parent, who asked not to be named, said: "They have said that
because there are so many children taking part they just cannot estimate how many parents are going to be there, and are worried that
they can't stop someone who shoudn't be there from being there.

"But I think it's just health and safety gone mad."

But organiser Paul Blunt, who is the development manager for the East Beds School Sports Partnership, said he had no choice but to ban all
spectators because it was being held on a school site during school hours.

He said: "Had it have been held elsewhere or after school hours then we would have been happy to allow spectators to come in, but we just can't put the children taking part in the event or the students in school at risk like that."

He added that as well as the health and safety aspect they did not want to disrupt pupils currently sitting exams.

For the full story see the June 26 edition of the Biggleswade Chronicle.

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