Bonkers over Conkers

Headteachers who ban conkers and snowball fights because of injury risks were blasted by Schools Secretary Ed Balls yesterday. “We all want children protected from harm and abuse. But this does not mean we should wrap them in cotton wool," he said.

"You have to have as a society some common sense and that applies to the legal system. The idea that as a society people are not playing with snowballs because of a compensation culture isn't the kind of society I want to live in." He revealed that £2 million was paid out last year to children injured on school property.

He warned that kids are being robbed of childhood pleasures because of molly-coddling staff. Scores of schools refuse to let kids play traditional games or go on trips for fear of being sued.

It's about time that someone said it!