Mick Hartley

The Times reports:

The organisers of a children’s performance have ditched the Three Little Pigs for fear of offending Muslims. Children from Honley Church of England Junior School were planning to feature the pigs in a performance at Huddersfield Town Hall. Now the restyled section will include the Three Little Puppies instead.

And the BBC updates:

Organisers of a children’s concert have given the go-ahead for the three little pigs to appear, after they were banned over fears they might offend Muslims.

Honley Junior School in West Yorkshire was to perform the Roald Dahl story of Little Red Riding Hood and the pigs – but was told to substitute puppies.

Now Kirklees Council has stepped in to allow the pigs a reprieve.

No complaints had been made about the pigs appearing in the Kirklees Primary Music Festival event.

The committee organising the concert decided Muslim children may not want to sing about pigs.

However, council education spokesman Jim Dodds told BBC Five Live the decision had been overturned.

He said: “There is something barmy going on here and it has happened on my watch.

“I can tell you now that the three little pigs will be back into the school musical festival.

“The decision (to ban the pigs) was made by well-meaning people – it was the wrong decision, so let’s stick with the traditions.”

All part of the dedicated Mick Hartley service: bringing you the hottest news – as and when it happens.