A Sign Of The Times?

School replaces Christmas nativity with jewellery robbery play

A primary school has caused controversy by replacing the school nativity with a play about a jewellery robbery.

Canvey Junior School in Essex took the decision to rewrite the traditional Christmas nativity as well as reworking the lyrics to 'Away in a Manger'.

Lyrics in the new version include: "Away with the manger, two robbers stole it, they were called Bob and Bill, and they were both big twits."

According to The Mirror, parents have argued that the new material is inappropriate for youngsters and some have even removed their children from any involvement with the production.

A concerned parent said: "I don't understand why the politically correct brigade has had to get rid of the traditional story anyway. I can't see that this gangster story is going to be better than something from the Bible."

The subject of the play was also criticised as being in poor taste, since the area has experienced a spate of armed raids in the last six weeks.

Headteacher Janet Vaughan defended the alterations, commenting; "It is very, very funny and nothing more than a light-hearted version of events. The outcome is the robbers are caught and banged to rights and the true meaning of Christmas comes across very strongly with a nativity at the end."