Parents have branded church leaders as irresponsible after three-inch long nails were handed to youngsters during an Easter visit to Bradford Cathedral.

The nails were given to a class of seven and eight-year-old pupils at St Luke's C of E First School, Fagley Lane, Bradford, so they could learn more about Christ's crucifixion.

But mums and safety campaigners have condemned the idea saying their children could have injured themselves carrying them home.

Today, the Provost of Bradford, the Very Reverend John Richardson, said the exercise - carried out for the first time yesterday - was done with the full co-operation of the school. But he said it would not be repeated.

In a joint statement with the school he said: "The children took part in a deeply moving experience on what the Easter story is about.

"It was agreed that the children would take away two large nails so they could put them together in a cross.

"When they left the Cathedral the nails were put in the children's bags in the presence of teachers and they were told to tell their parents. Everything was done with the full support of the school and with safety issues in mind."

But parent Charlotte Kearns, of Hazelcroft, Eccleshill, whose son Oliver, seven, came home with the nails, said she was aghast it took place at all.

She said: "Nails are lethal weapons and it is totally irresponsible to be giving them out to seven and eight-year-olds.

"My son Oliver came home from school and said he'd got something in his pocket to show me. He said he was glad he didn't fall today and when I asked why, he showed me the nails.

"I'm absolutely livid. It's not the religious part of it, but the fact that nails were given out to young children. A lot of the other parents were horrified and thought it was a ridiculous idea."

Similar sentiments were echoed by Rosemary Worsley, of Undercliffe, whose seven-year-old son William was also given the nails.

She said: "It really is irresponsible. William came running out of school with the nails in his hand and his friend had his in his pocket. They could have been seriously hurt."

The Provost said he would like to meet worried parents face-to-face to explain to them what had happened.

He said: "We would like to apologise to any parents who don't feel happy about the nails."

Councillor Jack Womersley, of Bradford Council's Community Safety Sub-committee, said: "I'm absolutely speechless.

"I could see the reasoning if the Cathedral had shown the children the nails, let them have a look at them, and then collected them back up again.

"If they were going to take them home then they should have been given them in some sort of presentation case or box.

"One of the messages we always give out to parents is to keep sharp objects like nails out of reach of children."

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