Activists unhappy with goldfish prizes at fair (From Keighley News)

Activists unhappy with goldfish prizes at fair

8:19am Thursday 1st May 2008 in News By Keighley News reporter

Animal welfare activists have criticised funfair stallholders who gave away live goldfish as prizes at the weekend.

Marianne Crowley, who runs a Keighley wildlife sanctuary, complained to the West Yorkshire Animals in Need charity, which took the matter to Bradford Council.

The fair, in Victoria Park, was organised by a company called W Marshalls, which had a contract with the council to use the land.

West Yorkshire Animals in Need co-founder Tommi Townsend said: "These goldfish are often transported in horrendous conditions. It's just as easy to give a soft toy.

Mrs Crowley, 51, claimed offering live goldfish as prizes was no longer allowed because Bradford Council banned it under a bylaw.

However, a spokesman for Bradford Council said: "There is not a bylaw stopping stallholders giving goldfish away but we have included a clause in new contracts, which come into effect in January 2009, preventing this from happening on council-owned land.

"This decision was made in March but this year's contracts had already been agreed."

A spokesman for W Marshalls said the issue had been "fully covered" by Bradford Council.