Oliver blasts mums defying junk ban

Jamie Oliver has criticised mothers who have been delivering junk food to children through a school fence.

Julie Critchlow and Sam Walker have been smuggling pies, burgers and fizzy drinks to their kids and their friends at a school in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

Walker, who has been supplying her 11-year-old son, blamed the television chef for the school's strict food policy, which means only healthy grub was now on offer. “This is all down to Jamie Oliver," she declared. "I just don’t like him and what he stands for. He’s forcing our kids to become more picky about their food.”

But Oliver has stuck by his guns and insisted the mothers are damaging youngsters' futures. “If these mums want to effectively shorten the lives of their kids and others’ kids, then that’s down to them," said his spokesman. "What people don’t realise is that junk food doesn’t just help make our children fat, it’s also a growing cause of malnourishment.

“Many kids just aren’t getting the nutrition they need to grow healthily. It’s important kids receive a nutritious hot and affordable meal at school every day. That way at least they get the nutrients they need for about 190 days a year.”