A boy from Greater Manchester was excluded from lessons yesterday for turning up to his school’s World Book Day celebrations dressed as ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ protagonist Christian Grey.

11-year-old Liam Scholes wore a grey suit and took cable ties and a mask into Sale High School, aping the fictional billionaire businessman with a taste for S&M.

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But his teachers didn’t see the funny side, calling his primary school teacher mum Nicola and telling her he wouldn’t be allowed to take part in World Book Day activities or the class photo.

“We thought it was funny,” said Ms Scholes.

“We were walking home from school and he had the idea of going as Christian Grey.

“At first we laughed it off but the we discussed it with a few friends and saw the funny side and decided it was quite a good costume idea.

“He went in a suit and shoes and with an eye mask and cable ties. The cable ties were tiny and not enough to do anything with them. We didn’t think there would be a problem.

“I got a phone call home from the school saying the outfit was inappropriate and that he had been excluded from taking part or being in any of the photographs.

“Me and the teacher agreed to disagree and it’s not being taken any further but I was disappointed for Liam that he’d been stopped from taking part and that he’s had a dressing down.

“One of the teachers went dressed as Dexter and I don’t see why sex is seen as more offensive than murder.

“If it was a primary school I could understand but it’s a secondary school and the book and the film have been everywhere - it’s one of the most famous books in recent years and it’s not like the pupils will be unaware of it.”

Appearing on ‘Good Morning Britain’, Liam said: “’It’s the content of the book that people might think is inappropriate, but I went in dressed as Christian Grey just for a laugh.”

There has been no further action taken, according to Ms Scholes, and there are ‘no hard feelings’. Sale High School has not commented on the matter.

Ms Scholes went on to tell the Today Programme on Radio 4: “’I don’t think I was breaking the rules. He went as a book character.

“Christian Grey is one of the most famous book characters of recent years.

“He’s aware that the book is saying things of a sexual nature. If you looked on Twitter after the film came out it was everywhere.”

EL James’ books – recently adapted into the record-breaking movie starring Jamie Dornan as Christian Grey and Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele – have sold over 100 million copies worldwide.



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Image credits: MEN Syndication/Universal