Published: April 9, 2007
Burnham-On-Sea hopscotch story makes national headlines

A Burnham-On-Sea mother has been plunged into the national spotlight after police halted her child's hopscotch game, saying his chalk markings on the pavement were 'graffiti'.

Lisa Badland's story first appeared in Burnham-On-Sea's discussion forums on March 27th before hitting the national headlines in the Sunday Telegraph on April 8th and The Sun, Daily Mail and other papers on Monday (April 9th). GMTV is also set to feature her story this week.

Lisa, 30, pictured, gave her five-year-old son Ryan some chalk to mark out a game of hopscotch outside her home. She expected him to have an afternoon of harmless fun, but he ended up in trouble with Burnham police.

Two officers, acting on a tip-off from a neighbour, arrived and told off Ryan and five young friends for drawing 'graffiti'.

When the children's parents emerged from their homes, the police reportedly asked them not to let their children play in the street or draw on the road or pavement.

Lisa told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "I've been overwhelmed by all the attention from a long line of journalists and reporters all day."

"I think the police over-reacted and all this was very unnecessary. If my neighbour had come across to have a quiet word, it could have been easily avoided."

She added that she had given Ryan the chalk because it was forecast to rain later that evening, washing away whatever Ryan drew on the street.

She recalled: "My son was petrified because they had handcuffs; he asked if they were going to take him away."

"The kids just went out to play. They are sensible kids and weren't doing anything wrong. I thought the police would have better things to do."

Avon and Somerset Police said it had received a report that up to six children aged around 14 were drawing graffiti on roads and pavements. The call was logged as alleged criminal damage.

A police spokesman added: "Officers attended because anti-social behaviour is a priority. When they got to the scene, they realised that it was chalk on the road and therefore no crime had been committed."

"Officers spoke to the children and everyone went on their way. People have got to understand that what they are doing might be construed in a different way by other people. What one person might see as harmless fun, another person has reported as graffiti. We are under a duty of care to go and investigate."