A HEADMISTRESS shocked staff by giving out x-rated ‘secret Santa’ gifts at a Christmas party.

Sally Fenton, head of Audley Community Infant School in Blackburn, gave out the cheeky adult toys as presents as the school broke up for the holidays.

Blackburn with Darwen Council executive member for education, Coun Maureen Bateson, said: “I was told about this late last week and the school has now broken up for Christmas so I’ve not had chance to speak to the head.

“It was a secret Santa and there may have been people who took slight offence to some of the presents.

“Personally, I think it is a matter which should have been dealt with within the school.

"Presumably it was initially meant to be fun, but if it is inappropriate it should be dealt with internally.

“Although it was lighthearted, staff must think carefully when they work within a school as people may have different views.

“I wouldn’t have liked to receive a gift like that.

“I’m sure the school will look at what went on and take any appropriate action.”

The infant school shares a site and facilities with the junior school.

Junior school governor, Blackburn councillor and chairman of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, Salim Mulla, said: “Headteachers need to be very careful in what they do.

“They are the head of the school and whatever they do is always measured and scrutinised by everybody.

“If these gifts were inappropriate then the headmistress should apologise.

"I’m sure she didn’t mean to cause offence. A mistake has been made, it is an oversight and in future she will need to be more careful.

“People are very positive about Sally and we hear nothing but good things about both her and praise from parents.”

According to reports in a national newspaper, the head ‘misread the mood’ and had meant her gifts to be ‘amusing novelties’.

She is said to have apologised to anyone who was offended.