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Anorak News | String ‘Em Up

String ‘Em Up

by | 4th, October 2004

‘MISTER Halfpenny sounds like a nice old-fashioned headmaster.

‘A young Abu Hamza forgets to move his hand out of the way’

Not quite as old-fashioned as his predecessor Mr Farthing perhaps, but a traditional old cove nonetheless.

Which just goes to show how wrong you can be.

Admittedly, the children at his school in Carlisle still play conkers instead of new games like “Bang! Bang! You’re dead!” with real guns.

Yet Mr Halfpenny’s version of the old horse chestnut-smashing game looks more like something out of Robocop.

The kids at Cummersdale Primary School are allowed to play the game, and they are even allowed to use the word “conker”, despite its imperialistic overtones.

But they may do so only if they are properly attired. And what is that? Grey worsted shorts, knee socks, ties and caps? No – protective “safety goggles”.

North East Tory Euro MP Martin Callanan is a man who has taken up the cause of conkers, according to the Daily Mail.

He says that although he applauds Mr Halfpenny for allowing conkers to be played, he thinks he has “gone over the top”.

“I can’t remember any child ever receiving a serious injury caused by a shattering conker,” he says

Oh, really? Remember that young Muslim lad who was hurt all those years ago in Finsbury Park? He ended up with a hook and an eyepatch after a tragic conker accident, and was never the same again.

Wonder what happened to him…’



Posted: 4th, October 2004 | In: Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink