School abandons 'charity kidnap'

A school has cancelled a sponsored kidnap event in aid of Children In Need, after protests by the family of a pupil allegedly abducted last month.

The parents of the teenage girl were reported to be "outraged" at the Wrexham school's insensitivity and had asked for the event to be called off.

The head teacher "apologised for any distress caused".

A man has been charged with kidnap in Wrexham on 19 October and is due to appear in court again in January.

The girl was allegedly snatched from a street in Wrexham and later found 70 miles away in Bangor.

The sponsored kidnapping was among a number of activities planned at the girl's school in Wrexham for the BBC's annual Children in Need Appeal on Friday.

In a statement issued through Wrexham council, the head teacher said: "This has been an unfortunate misinterpretation of the intended event planned by pupils."

"I have apologised for any distress caused to everyone concerned and assured them that this particular event will not now go ahead.

"We are all looking forward to raising as much money as possible for Children in Need and to enjoying all the events planned throughout the day."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_east/6152670.stm