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Park warden tells parents they can't photograph their OWN daughter playing on swings
Last updated at 14:52pm on 14.12.07
Dumbfounded parents Steve and Mandy Brooks with daughter Rebecca
But to the amazement of Miss Smith and her partner, a park warden marched over to the play area and ordered them to stop taking photographs.
Stunned, the couple pointed out that they were 11-month- old Rebecca's parents and that no one else was using the playground but he informed them it was "illegal" to take pictures of children there.
The couple had no choice but to pack their camera away - with just one shot of their daughter enjoying her outing before the family reached the swings at Alexandra Park in Oldham.
Yesterday as Miss Smith and her partner, Steve Brooks, protested about the heavy-handed action, the local council admitted its worker had overstepped the mark.
Mr Brooks, a 35-year- old offlicence manager, said: "It was a nice day so we went to the park. I put Becky in a swing which she had never been in before. She was giggling and really loving it so Mandy decided to take a picture.
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The one photograph parents Mandy Smith and Steve Brooks managed to take of their daughter before the over-zealous warden moved in
"But then a man in a high-visibility-jacket came over and told us we couldn't take pictures. I asked him why and he said it was illegal to take pictures of children in the park. I explained it was my own daughter but he still said it wasn't allowed.
"The fact that a mummy and daddy can't take a picture of their own daughter is ridiculous."
The ban was imposed the day after company director Adrian Presbury was threatened with police action for trying to take pictures of his five-year-old daughter at an outdoor ice rink in Derby.
Last year Suzanne Hansford was reprimanded for photographing her granddaughter Amber, four, in a public paddling pool.
A spokesman for Oldham Council said parks staff were trained to spot inappropriate behaviour but that on this occasion the warden had "interpreted policy incorrectly".
Reader views (17)
I am a video cameraman, and was filming the arrival of a newly married couple in Regents Park some years ago, with a full size broadcast camera on my shoulder and as the Rolls Royce came into view, a stern voice behind me said rudely - "have you got a permit?" I could not engage in conversation, or I would lose my shot, so I just kept on filming. Three times the question was repeated, and I felt a touch on my shoulder at that point, and just as the Rolls was passing me, I spoke to my assistant from the corner of my mouth, and told him to take the officer over to the photographer, who had the permit !
Why could the officer not have waited till I finished my shot ? (about thirty seconds) If I had not spoken when I did, what would he have done,- wrestled me to the ground and smashed my camera ? Even if I did not have a permit, he had no right to touch me, after all, I was only filming a White Rolls Royce, not exactly a serious crime.
I told him afterwards to respect a professional when obviously working, which he didn't like, but slunk off to his Panda car and drove off.
I eventually contacted the Chief Inspector of Parks police, and sent a clip of the video, with the audio of the officers comments, but apart from telling the Inspector to talk to his staff, took it no further.
The officer used no courtesy at all, and in fact made himself in the end, look an utter fool, all totally unnecessary.
- Derek Smith, Enfield, Middx-- United Kingdom
Because we live in a police state. Thanks to all of you who voted in the last election, we are stuck in a one-party state where everything is either illegal or compulsory.
- Neil Mcphee, London, UK
Fire the guy I say. Common sense needs to start fighting back against this nonsense. Make a few examples and the next one might think twice.
- Archie, Palnackie
They should have continued taking the photos. What would he have done - called the police?
- Heidi, London
In another case of government officials trying to protect children from the statistically improbable paedophile, they criminalise the vast majority of parents. In much the same was as photography as school nativity plays is banned in many counties.
- Graham, Reading, England
I just CANNOT believe this!
Welcome to Polictically Correct Big Brother Britain. Watched, spied on, cautioned or arrested for 'offences' such as this, everybody criminalised, DNA taken, all for our own good and protection of course. Don't say you weren't warned.
- Jeanie, London
I agree, it's an absurd situation. It shows just how ridiculous our country has become, always pandering to the political correctness brigade. If anyone tries to resist this onslaught there would be 100 lawyers falling over themselves to prosecute them. There's an awful lot of money involved in legal work and this is a goldmine for that profession. Common sense has all but flown out of the window but we do very much need to try and resist this ridiculousness. There has to be a tipping point in all this where even the most stupid person can see that our country is fast becoming a laughing stock. I think we're close to that point now.
- Paul Wilson, London, UK
Sadly, there are people who really do believe it is a criminal offence to photograph children.
Did he lose his job? I doubt it.
- Roger, London
Personally I'd have told the council official in question to go swing!
- Adam, Harrow, UK
The law is quite clear; anyone can photograph anything or anyone in a public place. A camera simply catches light reflected from an object and the object has no right to light reflected from it.
- Nick, Exmouth UK
Maybe if jumped up little caesars like this start getting fired for their over-zealous attitudes, we'll start turning the tide against this ridiculous political correctness. Enough is enough! Let's stop allowing ourselves to be bullied like this.
- Greg, Bedford
Jobsworth hat, anyone?
- Marianne, SW France
Another appalling decision by a £5 an hour jobsworth.
There are similar incidents reported on the street or at railway stations every day.
What I want to know is who is providing the training for these idiots, and who is giving them incorrect information so they tell the public they cannot take photographs.
And why does no one tell them to clear off and mind their own business?
The position surrounding photography in Britain is really quite clear and unambiguous. If you can see it, you can photograph it - and yes that includes children, as long as the images aren't considered indecent. Be prepared to answer some fairly searching questions if the children aren't actually yours!
Or are we to capitulate to these mis-informed jobsworths and in 40 years time when historians are looking for pictures of the early part of the 21st Century wont be able to find any !
- Paul Mckenzie, Leicester
Unbelievable? Sadly, no; all too believable. It just beggars belief!
- Adam, London, UK
Why on earth couldn't they take the photos of their own child? Jobsworth at it's worst I'd say.
- Sam, London
This has got to be a joke, right? How this imbecile had the nerve to stop this couple photographing their own child is unbelievable. If the park warden is truly that stupid that he can 'misinterpret policy' in such a way then he is too stupid to be allowed to roam the streets.
- Cat, London
We must all stand up and "Say no to polictical correctness" before it invades every part of our lives. This is more absurd far left nonsense!
- Brandon Thomas, London UK
