Council lifts bans on 9-year-old Martha Payne's school dinner blog

A ban on a nine-year-old girl blogger taking photos of her school dinners was lifted today after sparking widespread controversy.

Martha Payne started the NeverSeconds blog six weeks ago, posting images and opinions about what she had been served for lunch at her school's cafeteria in Lochgilphead, Argyll.

She has also used the site to raise more than £22,000 for Mary's Meals, a charity which runs school feeding projects in communities around the world where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education.

Then, yesterday, Argyll and Bute Council banned Martha's photgraphy, saying it had to act to "to protect staff from the distress and harm it [coverage of the meals] was causing."

A statement on its website claims that Martha's blog "misrepresented the options and choices available to pupils."

But today the council backed down on the decision after publicity in the national media.

Council leader Roddy McCuish told BBC Radio 4's World at One:

Cllr McCuish later issued a statement on the council's website:

Online outrage at the council's original decision has drawn attention to Martha's story and helped her smash her fundraising target. Justgiving.com/neverseconds shows that donations have reached nearly £33,000 - well over her £7,000 target and more than 16 times the £2,000 raised before the publicity.

The blog gives a score out of 10, a "health rating" and even the number of hairs found in each meal.

It has been supported by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, who tweeted: "Shocking but inspirational blog. Keep going. Big love from Jamie x."

In one entry about having chicken fajitas for lunch, Martha wrote: "I'd really like to know where the chicken comes from so I am going to write to the lady in charge to ask. I know it comes from a hen but I'd like to know where the hen lived."

Martha's posts also featured pictures of school dinners sent to her by children in Germany, Spain and the US.

'Goodbye'

Last night Martha posted a goodbye message, which said:

Martha's father, Dave, also wrote on the blog: "I felt it's important to add a few bits of info to the blog tonight. Martha's school have been brilliant and supportive from the beginning and I'd like to thank them all.

"I contacted Argyll and Bute Council when Martha told me what happened at school today and they told me it was their decision to ban Martha's photography.

"It is a shame that a blog that today went through two million hits, which has inspired debates at home and abroad and raised nearly £2,000 for charity, is forced to end."

Martha's blog is at neverseconds.blogspot.co.uk.