Morris dancers with 'noisy bells' in pub ban

A group of morris dancers have complained after they were thrown out of a pub because the bells on their clogs put them in breach of a ban on music.

Members of the Slubbing Billys troupe, based in Slaithwaite near Huddersfield, had retired to the Swan and Three Cygnets pub in Durham after performing in the city's market place.

One of their number, council officer Duggs Carre, said that a barmaid shouted "no bells" before telling them "in the strongest possible terms" to leave because their tinkling costumes went against the strict policy of no music in pubs owned by the Samuel Smith brewery.

"One of our group, wearing his morris dance gear, went in first and was served a pint of beer without question," Mr Carre told a local newspaper The Journal.

"But when two of our lady members followed wearing bells they were told to get out. There were about 15 of us and we all went around the corner to the Half Moon instead. We had been dancing in the Market Square on Saturday afternoon and were thirsty, we were looking forward to a refreshing pint."