CAMCORDERS will not be banned at school nativity plays in Blackburn and Darwen. Instead the council have left the choice of whether parents are allowed to video their own children's nativity plays to individual schools.

Peter Morgan, Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, said the council was leaving it to "schools' sensible discretion" on whether camcorders were allowed at nativity plays.

The statement follows moves by Edinburgh Council formalising guidelines which could potentially ban parents from filming and photographing school nativity plays and concerts because of fears that the images could be exploited by paedophiles.

Headteachers have welcomed Blackburn with Darwen's approach, with one saying it would be "sad" if exercising personal rights, such as this, were taken too far.

In Edinburgh if parents want to video or photograph their child's performance, they need written permission from every other parent.

Craig Ward, headteacher at Griffin Park County in Cavendish Place, Blackburn, which has had its nativity, said: "We let parents video when they wish.

"We know our parents are very well. There is no chance strangers can come to the nativity."

Keith McDonald, head of Holy Trinity CE, in Bank Top, Darwen, said: "We think it would be sad if using camcorders had to stop because schools were over-zealousness about exercising personal rights".