BANNED Sunday tea-dancers are being backed by their MP in their battle to get the law changed.

Some 250 people have signed a petition calling for the government to repeal the 217-year-old Act which has been invoked to stop weekly tea dances at Barden High School, Burnley.

The events have been held almost every Sunday for the last seven years, but the ban means that the Christmas dance has had to be moved to today (Thursday).

Burnley MP Peter Pike said: "I have received a lot of correspondence on this issue. The government are looking at the issue of Sunday dancing and I will be forwarding a copy of the petition to both the Home Office minister and the council.

"I shall also be meeting the minister soon to discuss this issue but even on the deregulation quick-track, any change in the legislation would take some time."

Mr Pike explained that the council, who were responsible for enforcing the law, were merely "applying the law as it stands."

He said it might be possible for a compromise in which the council allows Sunday dancing at Barden before the law is changed.

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