Sikhs refused theme park entry because of holy dagger

A Sikh children's party were turned away from Drayton Manor after a man refused to remove a ceremonial dagger.

The Coventry primary school teacher wears the Kirpan - a holy dagger - to express his Sikh faith, but was told by park staff that he could not wear it because of health and safety reasons.

The Kirpan is mandatory for everyone who goes through the Sikh equivalent of baptism, along with four other articles of faith.

A blogger who saw the incident claims the man was offered another Kirpan to wear as a necklace, which was considered a poor alternative.

The case has now been picked up by the Sikh Press Association, which is seeking discussions with Drayton Manor to resolve the issue.

Drayton Manor said in a statement that Kirpans have not been allowed to be worn in the park for a number of years as they pose a health and safety risk to members of the public.