A COUNCIL worker was wrong to stop a Punch and Judy show from performing at a sponsored arts event for children, her employers have admitted.

Bo the Clown was due to perform in front of hundreds of youngsters at Newcastle Civic Centre, when an unnamed officer asked a colleague to tell the entertainer not to go ahead with the Punch and Judy part of his two-hour routine because it was against council policy.

It is understood the complaint was sparked by fears that Punch and Judy shows encourage domestic violence.

Bo, real name Derek Carpenter, of Sandyford, Newcastle, said he wanted to meet the complainant to allay her fears about his show.

The entertainer, who has more than 30 years' experience, incorporates a small section of Punch and Judy into his clowning act.

He said the battling man and wife had been causing controversy for centuries.

He said yesterday: "The first complaint that I'm aware of was in 1662 outside St Paul's Cathedral in London. The priest asked that the Punch and Judy be stopped because it was getting a bigger congregation. That was written by Samuel Pepys."

Mr Carpenter, 55, said children had the opportunity to interact and tell Punch his violent behaviour was wrong - unlike when they watched television.

He was booked by the council to perform at a two-day event for children, which used arts to explore difficult subjects such as bullying, racism and poverty.

A Newcastle City Council spokesman said: "The city council has no policy banning the staging of Punch and Judy shows.

"A complaint was made to the organisers of the event and they decided to act on it, believing that the officer who made the complaint was acting in line with council policy.

"While the officer concerned may have had genuine concerns of their own, they overstepped the mark and they were wrong to do so."