TWO East Lancashire MPs have clashed over a Government U-turn on plans to ban fairground stalls giving goldfish as prizes.

The Government had intended to forbid showmen to give goldfish as prizes on grounds of animal cruelty.

But a compromise has been worked out between ministers which would mean the fish could only be given if there was an over 16-year-old present.

Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans has welcomed the move but said the Government should go further and ditch the ridiculous proposal altogether.

But Hyndburn Labour backbencher Greg Pope believes the Government should have stuck to its guns and outlaw what amounted to a form of "animal abuse".

The move to ban the fish as prizes was originally included in the proposed Animal Welfare Bill outlined in the Queen's Speech in November.

The concern was that once the initial interest in the fish had worn off, they were abandoned and often flushed down the lavatory.

But in the wake of the row over Government plans to ban fox hunting and with a General Election expected in less than four months, some ministers felt the move was a vote loser.

A compromise has now been worked out which would still let children win the goldfish but only if they were accompanied by someone over 16 to make sure the family was aware that they were taking responsibility for a live animal which must be looked after.

Mr Pope said: "I am disappointed. I was rather taken by the idea of banning goldfish as fairground prizes. Many of them would be taken home and as soon as the novelty wore off, got rid of.

"They are tiny defenceless animals and should not be handed over in plastic bags to small children as prizes from a fairground stall. The Government should have stuck to its guns.''

But Mr Evans hit back: "This is the nanny state at its worst. Giving a small child a goldfish to look after gives them responsibility. They will start with caring for a goldfish and move on to something else.

"What difference does having a 16-year-old there make?

"The Government has gone part of the way by getting rid of some of this silly idea and should now go the whole way and dump it altogether. Who would police this?

"Greg and whoever thought up this idea are just being ridiculous.''

Final details of the compromise have still to be agreed by ministers but opponents of a total ban are confident it will go through.

Other measures in the Bill, including extending a duty of care to all animals kept by humans and forbidding the docking of dogs' tails, will remain in the proposals.