Sack race is too dangerous

By Paul Sims

Last updated at 09:40 07 February 2007


When children tumble over in the sack race, they tend to suffer nothing worse than wounded pride.

But after seven years without mishap, the event has been banned from a community's annual festival over fears that there could be legal action if anyone is injured.

Organisers claim the compensation culture has led to soaring insurance premiums which have put the activity off limits.

Despite the event attracting more than 2,000 young contestants each year, they say they have no alternative but to cancel it.

The insurance bill for the fun day has risen from £400 to £600 in a year and would double if traditional events including the sack race, three-legged dash and egg-and-spoon were still included.

Joyce Kaiser has helped organise the Friends of Ward Jackson Park fun day in Hartlepool, Cleveland, since it began. She described the decision as "a very sad indictment" on society. "We have tried to find insurance companies who will cover these types of traditional races but it's impossible unless you are prepared to pay more than £1,000," she continued.

"As a local group we can't find that kind of money. Health and safety is really taking precedence over kids enjoying themselves and taking part in activities they have done for hundreds of years.

Her husband Stan, an independent councillor for Hartlepool, said: "Our children are being strangled by risk assessment."

A spokesman for the Association of British Insurers said: "Rightly or wrongly, we are living in a more meticulous society and people are much more likely to sue if an accident occurs."

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