A junior school production of the popular children's story the 'Three Little Pigs' has been changed to 'Three Little Puppies' to avoid causing any offence to Muslims.

Due to the multi-cultural nature of the youngsters involved and their parents in the audience, organisers of a children's music festival have altered the popular characters and lyrics.

But Muslim leaders recently condemned the politically correct move as misguided and said decisions like this were turning Muslims into 'misfits' in society.

Children, aged from seven to 11, from Honley Church of England Junior School in West Yorkshire were due to perform at Huddersfield Town Hall in June in the reworking of the popular tale which features three little pigs, with 250 children from 63 schools singing along.

|QUOTE|However, organisers of the Kirklees Primary Music Festival decided to change the script to be 'sensitive' to Muslims at a recent committee meeting.

Committee member Gill Goodswen, head teacher of Stile Common Junior School, defended the move.

She said: "We have to be sensitive if we want to be multi-cultural. It was felt it would be more responsible not to use the three little pigs. We feared that some Muslim children wouldn't sing along to the words about pigs," she said.

"We didn't want to take that risk. If changing a few words avoids offence then we will do so."

She stressed the decision was not prompted by a complaint from any school.

But Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra from the Muslim Council of Great Britain branded the move "bizarre".

He said: "The vast majority of Muslims have no problem whatsoever with the Three Little Pigs. It's always been the traditional way of telling the story and I don't see why that should be changed.

"There's an issue about the eating of pork, which is forbidden, but there is no prohibition about reading stories about pigs. This is an unnecessary step."

Other recent rows have involved 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' being changed to 'Baa Baa Rainbow Sheep', as well as various Christmas events being changed to "winter" festivities.

Mr Mogra said: "How far are we going to go? Are we going to change the seven dwarves because it's discriminatory towards people who are physically less able? Where do you draw the line?

"Every time we get these stories Muslims are seen more and more as misfits. We have to accept there's a predominant culture here."

His views were echoed locally in Huddersfield.

Local councillor Terry Lyons added: "I can't believe that Muslims would be offended by this. This is pandering to a few extremists. People will take umbrage at this decision, making it easier for the BNP to recruit."

Mohammed Imran, of the Hanfia Mosque and Educational Institute, said: "According to the Koran it's forbidden to eat pork or touch a pig, but there's no ruling about talking about them or singing about them."

Steve Price, head of Honley C of E school, said he had not played a part in the decision, but added: "We are part of the family of Kirklees schools. This family is set up to celebrate children's talents and I can well understand some head teachers being careful about not causing offence."