Vicar apologises after telling schoolchildren 'Santa isn't real'

A vicar in Hampshire has apologised after telling a group of schoolchildren that Father Christmas was not real.

Reverend Dr Paul Chamberlain made the comments while speaking to 10 and 11-year-old pupils during a Religious Education class at Lee-on-the-Solent Junior School.

According to the Times newspaper, Rev Chamberlain, who is vicar of St Faith's in the area, also told the group that parents ate the cookies left out for Santa.

Angry parents claimed that the remarks had left their children in tears, with one telling the newspaper:

"I don't know how it can be undone, but I think it's absolutely disgusting.

"I don't want him anywhere near my daughter. I hope he never comes into the school again."

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Anglican Diocese of Portsmouth said Rev Chamberlain accepted he had made an 'error of judgement'.

"We understand that the vicar of St Faith's, Lee-on-the-Solent, the Rev Paul Chamberlain, was leading an RE lesson for 10 and 11-year-olds at Lee-on-Solent Junior School.

"After talking about the Nativity story from the Bible, he made some comments about the existence of Father Christmas.

"Paul has accepted that this was an error of judgement, and he should not have done so.

"He apologised unreservedly to the school, to the parents and to the children, and the headteacher immediately wrote to all parents to explain this."

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• lee-on-the-solent
• diocese of portsmouth