A HAMPSHIRE school that has banned filming at its nativity play has offered to video the performance for parents - and sell it to them for £8.

But the offer has angered parents, who only last year were told they couldn't film youngsters in case the images fell into the hands of paedophiles.

Mums and dads are now urging Cupernham Infant School, Romsey, to throw out the controversial idea and allow parents to record the event for themselves.

Head teacher Hilary Evans sent a letter to parents suggesting that this year's Christmas production, Are We Nearly There Yet?, be filmed just once.

Copies would go on sale at about £8 each to raise money for the school's Parent Teacher Association, she said. But it would also mean that proud mums and dads would be banned from taking their own snaps for the family album.

In the letter, Mrs Evans said: "We would therefore request that no further photography took place during performances, although it may be possible to organise for you to take a photograph of your own child after the performance."

The suggestion has stirred up ill-feeling among parents at the school.

It comes a year after all photography was banned at the school nativity because there were fears the pictures could fall into the hands of paedophiles.

Now parents are angry that filming is acceptable again - but only if someone else does it and the family foots the bill.

Danielle Thornton, whose six-year-old brother, Conner Thompson, is a pupil at the school, said: "It's a bit off. If you have your own video camera you should be able to use it. Why pay £8 for someone else to do it?

"The school just wants to make money - and they make enough out of non-uniform days and other things as it is."

Mum-of-five Maria King, of Woodley Close, said she was opposed to last year's blanket ban on filming and thinks the 2003 solution is no better.

"Taking photos of our own kids should be our right," she added. "I know they are trying to protect our children and I understand that, but in my view they have gone too far."

This week the school's governors will have a crunch meeting to discuss the idea - and Mrs Evans says it has proved so unpopular its likely to be voted out.