Nine-Year-Old Blogger Banned From Photographing Her School Dinners

A nine-year-old school girl has allegedly been banned from taking photos of her school dinners, which she was using on her blog, NeverSeconds.

Martha Payne, from Argyll, began publishing photographs of her school canteen lunches on 30 April and became a surprise hit receiving over 2 million hits in just a few weeks.

She gave each meal a 'food-o-meter' and health rating, and counted the number of mouthfuls it took her to eat it.

But in a post published on Thursday evening, Martha said her headteacher told her not to take any more photographs for the blog.

Under the headline "Goodbye", the post stated: "This morning in maths I got taken out of class by my head teacher and taken to her office. I was told that I could not take any more photos of my school dinners because of a headline in a newspaper today.

"I only write my blog not newspapers and I am sad I am no longer allowed to take photos. I will miss sharing and rating my school dinners and I'll miss seeing the dinners you send me too."

According to a follow-up post by Martha’s father, Dave, the decision to ban her from taking photos was taken by Argyll and Bute Council.

The council's decision to impose the ban came after the Daily Record newspaper published a photograph of Martha alongside chef Nick Nairn under the headline "Time to fire the dinner ladies.."

An explanatory note posted on the blog by her father read: "Martha's school have been brilliant and supportive from the beginning and I'd like to thank them all.

"I contacted Argyll and Bute Council when Martha told me what happened at school today and they told me it was their decision to ban Martha's photography.

"It is a shame that a blog that today went through 2 million hits, which has inspired debates at home and abroad and raised nearly £2,000 for charity is forced to end."

Martha had been using the blog to raise money for the Mary's Meals charity.

(H)