A DECISION to cancel a town’s pancake race today following health and safety concerns – over a bollard – has been branded “flipping mad”.

Safety chiefs only resolved to pan the popular Bishop Auckland event yesterday after fears that the rising bollard – which is used daily – might fail.

The bollard, in Fore Bondgate, stops vehicles from driving into Newgate Street, where the race, first hosted two years ago, was to be held.

Durham Police’s traffic management team said the county council, which organises the event, had not provided a back-up plan in case the electronic bollard fails or becomes stuck down.

The last-minute cancellation has sparked a furious response from businesses and individuals in the town.

Sam Zair, county councillor for Bishop Auckland, whose wife, Lesley, makes the pancakes, questioned the point of the bollard in the first place if it was deemed so untrustworthy.

“The fact that they don’t think it’s good enough to stop traffic during the race suggests that it’s not fit for purpose and a waste of taxpayers’ money,” he said.

“This race was a new tradition for Bishop Auckland and one that I hoped would last for generations, it was a moralebooster for the town and one that we all looked forward to.”

A team from hair salon Saks won the competition in 2009 and were runners-up to The Northern Echo last year.

Saks assistant manager Tracey Wlodarczak said the salon had turned away bookings, so staff could enjoy the event.

“It seems a pretty naff excuse.

They could find volunteers to close the road and, even if someone did drive down they’d soon realise they could not go anywhere because of the number of people at the race,” she said. “This is such a fun event and the atmosphere is terrific.”

Salon owner Tarn Nichol said he was absolutely appalled because the event brought people and trade into the town.

“Clearly someone has gone flipping mad over health and safety,” he said.

Children from nearby York House Nursery also took part in the race last year and manager Debbie Shaw said the youngsters were disappointed not to be able to do it again.

She said: “It’s a real shame.”

Peter McDowell, business service manager at Durham County Council, said the bollard could be temperamental and police had advised that the race should be cancelled.

Michael Straugheir, Durham Police’s traffic management officer, said: “If the event went ahead and someone was killed then we would be being asked why we allowed it to happen with no back-up plan in force.”

Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman said: “The risks associated with it are far outweighed by the benefits.

“It’s perfectly possible for organisers to prevent traffic if the bollard failed, but why should it fail?”