A Christmas bazaar held to raise much-needed funds for an East Barnet school was marred after one of Barnet Council's town keepers pulled down posters advertising the event.

Parents and friends of St Mary's Junior School, Church Hill Road, were incensed on Saturday when, after taping posters onto lampposts in East Barnet Village to advertise the event, one of the town keepers removed them claiming they were illegal.

Mike Pearce, 61, of Parkside Gardens, East Barnet, whose grandchildren attend the school, said: "We do it every year and we religiously take the posters down the same day after the bazaar.

"All the parents at the school are absolutely furious. We expect help from these people not hindrance."

East Barnet recently received the help of town keepers after the launch of Streetwise Barnet, a scheme the council have championed to stamp out urban eyesores such as fly-posting and graffiti.

But Mr Pearce added: "I just find it totally mean-spirited and it seems to me that before too long they will start getting called Yellow Perils."

Cabinet member for environment Councillor Geof Cooke said: "The town keeper was doing exactly what he is supposed to do. However, this is a pilot scheme and we are feeling our way on issues like this at present.

"We intend to learn from incidents like this and work with the community to make the initiative even better in East Barnet and elsewhere in the borough."

December 12, 2001 18:19

KEVIN BURCHALL