- Nativity in Neath, Wales, sees Mary and Joseph riding into town on two donkeys
- Pair will be sporting an addition to the tale of Christmas, after organisers were told children needed to wear hard hats so they didn’t breach tough council rules
- Council chiefs say they need to don headwear as they are on a public highway
The Bridge Church nativity parade through Neath, including a real donkey, ridden by Keziah Wapshott, aged six
Schoolchildren are being forced to wear safety helmets during their nativity play over health and safety fears.
The Bridge Church nativity in Neath, Wales, will see Mary and Joseph riding into town on two donkeys this Saturday.
The pair will be sporting an addition to the tale of Christmas, after organisers were told the children needed to wear hard hats so they didn’t breach tough council rules.
Mark Barrett, a youth worker at The Bridge Church, said he was advised any children riding the donkeys would need to don the headwear as they were on a public highway.
The 48-year-old said: ‘We were advised that any young child riding a horse or donkey needs a hard hat for health and safety purposes.
‘We had to consider that Mary was going to be riding a donkey on a public highway.
‘I know that the donkey was not moving very quickly but we didn’t want to flout the law.
‘The owner of the donkey told us that because of his licence Mary needed to wear a riding hat.’
This year is the fourth year of children taking part having to wear hard hats.
But this year more care might be needed after the donkeys last year decided they wanted to take part in the parade at a much faster pace.
Mr Barrett said: ‘Last year, one of the donkeys must have though they were in the Grand prix. It was more of a jog than a parade.
‘The animals are quite big and quite quick.’
The pair will be sporting an addition to the tale of Christmas, after organisers were told the children needed to wear hard hats so they didn’t breach tough council rules