POETRY said to refer to sex, paedophilia and cannibalism, has started a war of words involving county school pupils, writes CATHERINE SHOVLIN.

Pupils from John Masefield High School were due to perform a piece by Jim MacCool at the Ledbury Poetry Festival last week, but pulled out because of the alleged explicit content.

And now, in what has been slammed as 'an act of bitterness', the author has condemned their response and has threatened legal action.

But St Mary's RC High School pupils did take part in the reading, performing the text for two hours. St Mary's head Clive Lambert said: ''We were completely unaware that the material had caused controversy and that it had been withdrawn from the festival and one school had refused to take part.''

He added that the school merely wished to support a major literary event and a worthy charity.

Festival organisers had agreed to give the reading of 'Ionan Tales' publicity in its programme of events because it was in aid of the Royal National Institute for the Blind Talking Books.

Material deemed unsuitable

However, when they read the material they considered it unsuitable for the nationally-acclaimed literary event.

Festival chairman Alan Lloyd was also surprised to find that a promise, that had been a main factor in agreeing to support MacCool, was not met on the day.

"The promise of a letter to bring teams of blind and partially sighted actors was not carried through. None of these people who were set to benefit were there."

Instead, he said, MacCool and his publicist Sandra Dennis 'badgered' John Masefield pupils to perform for them.

"They decided to take part against their better judgement but they never wanted to do it because of exams and sports events," said Mr Lloyd.

John Masefield High School refused to continue after reading the script and on learning of the festival's opposition to the language and content, said to include scenes of paedophilia and cannibalism.

The Hereford Times broke the news to the school that MacCool had said he was to start legal proceedings for theft and breach of copyright because John Masefield School had 'refused' to send the work back to him.

Headteacher Christopher Tweedale said he would make sure that the material was returned, but said the school had made no attempt to deliberately keep the work.

Threats of the law was the poet acting in bitterness, claimed Mr Lloyd. The Cheltenham Literary Festival had also withdrawn its support for 'Ionan Tales', he added.

Publicist Sandra Dennis did not accept that the material was unsuitable for secondary school pupils, likening it to The Canterbury Tales, which was performed in part by Prunella Scales at the festival.

She said: "The material could be said to be controversial. There is mention of sex, but it is not vulgar. St Mary's High School did manage the text."

Mr Lloyd said he was disappointed that the event was not how it had first been sold to the festival, but stressed that the festival did not bear the RNIB Talking Books any ill will.

He added: "After the initial foot in the door there were attempts to extend it beyond what it was described as. It has caused us a lot of hassle."