British police are to investigate whether children as young as eight were put at risk by taking part in a cage fight.
The fight, involving two boys, took place at Greenlands Labour Club in Preston, Lancashire, on September 10th in front of a 250-strong adult audience.
A video of the bout posted on the internet shows the two boys fighting in a cage without protective padding or head gear and receiving medical attention. At one stage, one of the boys appears to break down in tears.
Lancashire police said last night they would be looking into “whether there were issues surrounding the safety of children”, while a children’s charity described the fight as “disturbing”.
Club owner Michelle Anderson defended her decision to stage the event, while Nick Hartley, the father of one of the boys, told the BBC his son was not at risk of harm.
“He loves the sport. It’s not one bit dangerous, it’s a controlled sport. He likes to do it, he’s never forced to do it, he wants to do it, so leave him to do it,” he said. “He’ll never get hurt, it’s a controlled sport he could never get hurt.
“Until he gets a bit older and he starts doing physical contact, kicking and punching, then maybe, but at his age it’s wrestling, like grappling.”
British culture secretary Jeremy Hunt today condemned cage fighting among children as “barbaric” and expressed shock over an apparent lack of restrictions on the activity.
“It just feels to me, it feels very barbaric and I know there are concerns about children that young doing a sport like that,” Mr Hunt told the BBC. “I think if adults choose to do it, that’s one thing ... I suppose I do share some of the shock that I think many of your viewers will feel.”
Asked whether he was surprised to hear there were no restrictions on children appearing in such an environment, he replied: “I am surprised to hear that. “We don’t want to discourage children from doing sport, and particularly young
boys with all the social problems that we were thinking about in the summer.
“We have to recognise that sport has a very, very important role but I think with this particular sport, I think some people will ask some questions.”
His comments echo concerns raised by a children’s charity which branded the fight “disturbing” and warned parents against allowing youngsters to take part in cage fighting while they are developing.
Chris Cloke, head of child protection awareness at the NSPCC, said: “We would strongly discourage parents from letting their children take part in this kind of fighting.
“It’s quite disturbing that some of those involved in the bouts were as young as eight, an age when they are still developing, physically and mentally.
“The organisers of these activities should think very carefully before allowing children to be involved when they are egged on to inflict violence.”
PA