Officials were blasted today for banning an African children's choir from singing in York Minster.

Choir members meet Ceolwulf at the Jorvik Viking Centre

The internationally renowned choir was barred from performing a second time after giving an impromptu rendition of a hymn during a visit to the Minster.

Rotary Club officials accompanying the choir, whose concert tour has sold out across Britain, claim they were told that 28 days' notice in writing was needed.

Andy Robinson, a member of Osgoldcross and Elmet Rotary Club, which organised the African Children's Choir's visit to the Minster during a day out in York, said today the "very petty" decision had taken the shine off a fabulous day. "It was a tiny bit sad," he said.

But Canon John Toy, canon in residence at the Minster, today denied that 28 days' notice was needed to sing, but said it was only courteous for some advance notification to be given.

He pointed out that officials had already allowed the choir to give one impromptu performance when the request had been made for them to sing again, not long before prayers had been due.

And he claimed that rotary club officials had been "rather aggressive" in their approach to the Minster, suggesting that some agreement could have been reached had their attitude been different.

The incident happened during a day off from a tour by the choir, which included two sell-out concerts at Selby Abbey on Sunday.

Freelance journalist David Ward, who accompanied the choir yesterday, said the Minster had caused the only sour note on a great day out.

"The children were asked by their hosts if they would like to sing a song in the area behind the Archbishop's throne," he said. "They responded with Jesus My Redeemer, to the obvious delight of the small number of visitors in the vicinity."

He said a Belgian visitor asked if they would sing again, and permission was sought from a Minster official.

"His response was unequivocal: there could be no impromptu singing, not without a written request giving 28 days' notice. The children were nonplussed. A member of the public demanded whether this was what God would want, or was it the will of a bureaucrat? The latter unfortunately had his way on this occasion."

Mr Robinson said he tried to persuade the official to change his mind but he was adamant.

A visitor to the Minster who witnessed the incident, Dr John Flemming from Oxford, contacted the Evening Press today to complain about the "awful" decision. "What an appalling impression to give," he said. "It was awful."

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