CHILDREN hoping to catch a glimpse of their dads taking part in Maidstone’s Gurkha parade were forced to leave disappointed.

It seems not even the might of the British Army could shift adults who blocked a cordoned-off area set aside for school children to see the event.

The parade took place on Thursday of last week, to celebrate the unveiling of a bronze Gurkha statue outside Maidstone Museum.

About 70 pupils from St Paul’s Infant School and a small group from North Borough Junior School were meant to stand in a cordoned area of the Fremlin Walk bandstand.

Both schools have a large number of Nepalese children, whose fathers are based with the Gurkha squadrons at Invicta Barracks.

Neither Army personnel or Police Community Support Officers were able to move some of the adults who stood in the area, blocking the children’s view.

St Paul’s head teacher Jules Hyde said: “We were disappointed at the behaviour displayed by members of the public in front of the children. We felt it compromised their enjoyment of the event.”

Kate Evans, who accompanied the St Paul’s children, added: “We ended up taking the children back to school early before the statue had been unveiled.

“They learned despite the courage and honour shown by their fathers that grown ups can be selfish, rude and hostile.”

North Borough head teacher Christine Marshall said her school’s group managed to see through a gap in the adults.

Maidstone council, which organised the event, has offered the schools a free visit to Maidstone Museum and is in talks with the Gurkhas to arrange a special event for the children.

Council spokesman Roger Adley said: “We are very sorry the children could not see.

“The real problem was a few adults who refused to move so the children from St Paul’s could see.

“We reserved an area for the school children but they were a little late getting there and some adults moved into this area. Despite the Army’s best endeavours they could not get some of them to move.”