GAZETTE & HERALD: SOME parents and pupils at Ivy Lane Primary School, Chippenham, have criticised the decision to ban conkers from the playground.

Governors and staff imposed the ban on the traditional break-time game because of fears the conkers could cause an anaphylactic reaction in children with nut allergies.

But some medical experts sided with parents and opposed the move, suggesting a common sense approach should be taken.

Headteacher Chris Marshall stood by the decision. She said: "We have a pupil with a severe reaction to nuts. Conkers are related to nuts and are therefore completely banned.

"We just don't want to take the risk. Children could touch the conkers and put their hands near their faces. Parents know the reasons for the decisions and have accepted them."

More than five years ago, Ivy Lane Primary welcomed a child into the school who has such a severe allergy that any contact with nuts could be potentially life-threatening.

Having taken medical advice, the school took the decision to ask parents not to include nuts in their children's packed lunches or to bring conkers on to the site. The school renews this decision every year there are children with nut allergies.

But two pupils aren't happy about the ban. Josh Niblett, ten, said: "I heard about the ban on Newsround. It's really annoying because we would like to have conker fights our bags are filled with them."

And pal Aiden Murray, also ten, added: "The children with allergies could stay inside and read a book. There's about 300 people in our school and there's only about four people who are allergic to nuts so it's annoying we can't play conkers."

One mum of a seven-year-old pupil said: "I can understand to a degree but everyone has played conkers. We used to have huge tournaments at school. I think they're missing out a lot.

"There's hundreds there that are being penalised for one child. Obviously we sympathise with them but if everyone's aware of who they are, I'm sure there's a way they can still play conkers without harming that child."

Another mum agreed: "I used to love playing conkers in school. It's a normal part of growing up.

"You can't do anything in a playground now. Sometimes you can protect children a little bit too much. There doesn't need to be an outright ban. There are ways and means around it."

A mother who has two children at the school supported the ban. "My daughter is allergic to nuts so I'm pleased there is a ban," she said.

"I don't like conkers anyway because they are lethal. We used to play with them properly but now a days children just throw them at each other."

Chair of school governors Trevor Ranger said: "The children and parents at Ivy Lane have responded in a wonderfully considerate way and the issue of a conker ban has not been one that has caused any concern.

"The school still has children with nut allergies but if medical evidence suggests that conkers pose little or no risk to them, we will gladly review our policy."

Hazel Gowland, food advisor at the Anaphylaxis Campaign, is allergic to nuts herself. "In my view common sense is the best," she said. "You tell children who play with conkers to put their conkers in a certain place after coming in from the playground and get them to wash their hands.

"I do not like bans for no reason but I understand schools coming to this decision because they are frightened."