Council advises against 'competitive' carol contest

A council was accused yesterday of taking political correctness too far when it advised against holding a Christmas carol contest for children because some of them would have to lose.

North Tyneside Council suggested stopping the event for children under 10 when the local chamber of trade asked for support. The contest between local groups raises hundreds of pounds in sponsorship and entertains shoppers as they buy gifts at a special Victorian market in North Shields.

Maggie Richardson, the organiser and president of North Shields Chamber of Trade and Commerce, asked the council to help to recruit pupils.

"I'm not taking their advice," she said yesterday. "It's political correctness gone too far ... I'm a firm believer in competition, otherwise I wouldn't be in business."

A spokesman for North Tyneside Council said: "We did advise that it might be more acceptable to schools if the event was not held in the form of a competition but ... we are certainly not telling them what they can or cannot do."