PUPILS at a Bolton primary school have been banned from playing traditional playground games of tig and British bulldog — because they are too dangerous.

Parents of youngsters at Egerton Community Primary have been told in the school’s weekly newsletter that children can no longer play “rough games” in the playground.

Students at the Cox Green Road school can use the playing fields when the weather is good but the majority of the year will have to spend break times in the playground. The letter says: “What we have observed is a situation where children were being hurt because they were not moving about the playground safely and because they were playing games that, in a smaller space, were causing them to have accidents.

“It is not acceptable for us to accept that children will get hurt while playing and it is our job to ensure that the playground and playtimes are organised well to ensure safety.”

Furious parents have now launched an online petition calling for the decision to be reversed.

Kirstin Jackson, aged 40, from Egerton, who launched to campaign, said: “I started the petition because I want my kids to be able to run around. It’s a real shame that children can’t be children. There are times when you’ve just got to let them be kids.”

The petition, which already has more than 50 signatures, states that participating in games such as tig far outweighs the occasional accident.

Mrs Jackson, a teaching assistant at another school whose two sons attend Egerton Community Primary, added: “Accidents happen, it’s normal, it gives children the opportunity to measure their own risks, and it’s a learning curve for them.”

Another mother with two children at the school, who asked to remain anonymous, added: “I just think children need to be children, we can’t wrap them up in cotton wool.

“I do understand it is for the safety of the children and that the school wants to prevent accidents but there are so many benefits children get from playing games like tig. Accidents do happen but it’s all part of growing up.”

But bosses at Egerton Community Primary has defended the decision, and stressed alternative play zones had been created for games like football and basketball.

Headteacher, Sam Mitchell, said: “Following a number of injuries to pupils, the school reviewed safety in the playground and has asked pupils not to play tig and British bulldog.

“Instead, to improve safety and enjoyment for all children, the school has introduced play areas identified for a range of activities co-ordinated by a play leader.

The school has created a series of play zones for games like football and basketball.

Children not involved in these games have been asked not to run through these zones.

Sam Mitchell, headteacher of Egerton Community Primary School, said: “Following a number of injuries to pupils, the school reviewed safety in the playground and has asked pupils not to play tig and British bulldog.

“Instead, to improve safety and enjoyment for all children, the school has introduced play areas identified for a range of activities co-ordinated by a play leader.

“Children have been asked to respect each other’s play and safety and have told us that they are enjoying their new playtimes.”

Other schools also monitor playground activities and have said they would ban games if they thought they were unsafe.

St John’s RC Primary in Darwen Road, Bromley Cross, currently has no playground restrictions in place but ensures that break and lunch times are monitored both by staff and Year Five playground mediators, who are trained to help children play carefully.

Headteacher, John Carroll, aged 57, said: “We’ve never had a problem with these types of games but we do have a general rule that if a game was being played we thought was aggressive and unsafe we would ask the children not to play it.”