A Bradford school has defended its health and safety policy after being criticised by an angry parent.

Ash Mahmood said his six-year-old daughter Aisha was distressed, crying and in pain when he picked her up from Heaton St Barnabas because of tape put on her ear lobes to cover studs while she took part in a PE lesson run by Sports UK.

Mr Mahmood, of Grangeway, Allerton, said he removed the tape but it was so sticky it ripped out one of the studs and some of his daughter’s hair.

“She was in pain,” he said. “She was stressed and I was upset.”

Mr Mahmood, 41, insisted his daughter had never had tape put on her ears in three years at the school, despite her wearing studs throughout that time.

He said: “It is health and safety gone mad. Parents are not aware of this issue. There is nothing on the school website. Why has it come in all of a sudden?

“And even so, the whole point of health and safety is not to cause pain or distress.”

Head teacher Gillian Evans admitted the health and safety issue is not published in the school’s prospectus, but said it was something the school would now address.

She said Mr Mahmood’s concern had been discussed with Sports UK and it was found the coach acted appropriately.

Mrs Evans said: “It is common practice and in line with Sports UK health and safety policy, which is derived from ‘Safe Practice in physical education and sport’ by the Association for Physical Education, to cover studs in PE lessons.

“This is to prevent injury to a child’s ears should a stud become accidentally caught by clothing. The studs in the child’s ears were covered by adhesive microporous tape which is commonly used by medical practitioners and for first aid. Our motivation is entirely the well-being of the children.

“The tape is usually removed by the children themselves or by a member of staff before the children leave school. On this occasion the lesson was at the very end of the day and the child left without removing the tape.”