An eight-year-old boy has been banned from taking sun cream to school. Joseph Marshall's mother Helen sent him to school in Bristol with a bottle of factor 60 sun block to protect his pale, freckly skin from sunburn.
She was angry when staff at Hillcrest Primary in Totterdown confiscated the cream, saying they were endangering his health.
Head teacher Norma Watson said pupils were not allowed medication at school because of the risk to other children.
She said instead teachers encouraged them to wear long-sleeved clothing and hats.
Skin cancer
A spokeswoman for Bristol City Council said it supported the school's policy.
Miss Marshall, 29, said: "I have always been conscientious and wary of skin cancer so I have encouraged my children to apply protection from an early age.
"Joseph has lily white skin and burns very easily so he needs protecting from the sun during the lunch hour play time.
"This country needs to do more to educate people about the dangers of skin cancer. The school's policy is ridiculous."
Miss Marshall, who said two members of her family had suffered skin cancer, has been fighting to get the school rules changed since the cream was first confiscated.
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