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A Southport mother was shocked when her toddler came back from nursery singing “baa baa rainbow sheep” instead of the traditional “baa baa black sheep”.

Her three-year-old son was taught the seemingly politically correct version at the YMCA nursery on Hoghton Street.

“We always sing it together and one day I was singing along with him when he came out with these different words,” the 24-year-old mother, who did not wish to be named, said.

“I was really shocked – I couldn’t believe they’d changed it. Baa Baa Black Sheep was one of my favourite songs when I was little and it’s a shame if it can’t be passed down. I can only think they changed the words in case they thought it would offend people, but it’s just about a sheep that’s black. It never entered my mind that it might be racist.”

The YMCA nursery said they sing a variety of nursery rhymes, but did not wish to comment any further.

Southport nursery nurse Roxanne Church said that it is common for nurseries to change the words of the rhyme.

“In some places you have to follow the first verse – baa baa black sheep – with one that goes ‘baa baa white sheep’,” she told The Champion.

“I’ve heard other places sing ‘baa baa woolly sheep have you any wool?’ One nursery used a whole range of colours from pink sheep to yellow sheep.

“Five Little Firemen is now Five Little Firefighters and in Enid Blyton books golliwogs have been changed to pixies.”

One nursery in Southport banned any religious references to Christmas, Roxanne said, only allowing associations with gift-giving and Father Christmas.

“A lot of the staff were Christians and were annoyed that we were allowed to celebrate Chinese New Year but not Christmas,” she said.

by Natasha Robson

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