Lincolnshire coronation gala Punch and Judy show cancelled

"Professor" Paul Douglas described the decision as "political correctness gone absolutely haywire"

BBC Paul Douglas — "Professor" Paul Douglas described the decision as "political correctness gone absolutely haywire"

A Punch and Judy show that was due to take place at a coronation gala in Lincolnshire has been cancelled after concerns the act was "inappropriate".

The traditional puppet show was dropped from the event in the village of Saltfleetby by the organisers after objections by the parish council.

Paul Douglas, who has been performing for 60 years, said it was "political correctness gone absolutely haywire".

Saltfleetby Parish Council said it would not comment.

Mr Douglas said he took the booking for the 6 May event months ago, but recently received a phone call from the organisers saying "we've got to cancel it as they [parish council] deem it inappropriate".

"I think it's sad really, it's their choice," he said.

"It's probably one or two people who actually don't like it. They don't think that I should be hitting Mr Punch or Mr Punch should be hitting somebody else.

"It's probably those same people who go home and watch Coronation Street or Emmerdale and see somebody getting murdered."

Punch and Judy shows have been performed in the UK for more than 360 years. The first recorded show was in on 9 May 1662, in London's Covent Garden when Samuel Pepys wrote in his famous diary that he enjoyed "an Italian puppet play".

Characters include Mr Punch, his wife Judy, their baby, a crocodile and a police officer. The shows have been controversial as Punch hits the other characters with a stick.

Mr Punch attacks the other characters with a stick

In 1849 a woman wrote to a newspaper claiming the shows were not suitable for children.

In response, author Charles Dickens wrote: "I regard it as quite harmless in its influence, and as an outrageous joke which no one in existence would think of regarding as an incentive to any kind of action or as a model for any kind of conduct."

Performers are known as professors and their association is called the Punch and Judy College of Professors. Punch's distinctive voice is made by the use of a reed placed at the back of the puppeteer's mouth, called a swazzle.

Clive Chandler from the College of Professors said he could not comment on the suitability of Mr Douglas's act, but added that "not all shows are the same".

"Not everybody likes everything, but the truly remarkable thing about about the Punch and Judy show in general is that it is so widely popular," he said.

"The Jubilee celebrations last year affirmed this with professors of Punch and Judy in very high demand. The same popularity and demand seems to be evident again with the coronation."