The event sees donkeys shipped to Greater Manchester from Blackpool
19:46, 10 Nov 2025Updated 19:58, 10 Nov 2025
The walking Nativity event in Atherton, Wigan, in previous years. (Image: Brian Seddon)
There was uproar in a Greater Manchester town at the weekend as it was announced that a beloved Christmas event might be in jeopardy.
The Walking Nativity, a live action performance of the Nativity story from the Bible, has been a hallmark of the festive period in Atherton for more than a decade.
Children from local schools walk in the parade through the town centre, headed by a pair of primary school children playing Mary and Joseph, riding working donkeys shipped in from Blackpool.
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‘Mary and Joseph’ knock on a number of pubs but seek refuge in Atherton Parish Church, where the rest of the story of Jesus’ birth is performed, along with carol singing.
Husband and wife Brian and Eileen Seddon – who also run the annual Atherton Festival – have been at the helm of the operation for the last 15 years.
This year’s event was slated for December 5 – but the couple, aged 81 and 82 , say they were dismayed to learn that it might not go ahead due to council policy.
“We didn’t know that Wigan Council have a policy where you cannot use live animals in events,” Brian told the M.E.N. “We weren’t aware of this. It’s two primary school children sat on the donkeys for about twenty minutes.
“Our local school and family health centre are involved in the parade, and both of them are under council jurisdiction. So they informed me that they couldn’t be involved due to this policy, so it looked like we had to cancel.”
Wigan Council say their ‘internal approach’ since 2023 has been to not use live animals during events for ‘entertainment purposes’.
“This is a community event, and the organising committee should make their own decision, noting the importance of animal welfare,” they said in a statement to the M.E.N.
The event in previous years. (Image: Brian Seddon)
The news was announced on Facebook on Friday evening (November 7), sparking fury among the local community. “My phone never stopped ringing,” said Brian.
“You are joking!!!!” wrote one user on the Friends of Atherton Parks group. “There’s nothing like this event anywhere else the children are amazing and the donkeys are perfectly well looked after and cared for!!!
“I am so sad this has happened its the highlight of the year in Atherton.”
“We should go ahead as a town and allow the magic and community spirit to continue,” wrote another. “Who do they think they are?”
“Folk can let explosions of for a month terrifying every animal on the estate and nowts done about it yet a couple of donkeys can’t be used for a nativity play,” another user said, calling it a ‘pathetic woke decision’.
Organiser Brian called the row ‘a massive misunderstanding. “I have no issue with Wigan Council,” he said.
“I got in touch with a local councillor who spoke to the council and an arrangement was made, and it was accepted.
“We assured them we would look after them and that everything would be above board, and they changed their minds. After talking it over together, common sense prevailed.
“Even I was getting flack on social media. Whatever you post on Facebook, you get people commenting who aren’t even involved.”
In an update on Saturday morning (November 8) local independent councillor Stuart Gerrard confirmed on the Atherton Residents Association group that the event would be going ahead after all.
“This is fantastic news for our community, and I truly hope everyone comes out to show their support for this fantastic event,” Gerrard wrote.
“It seems there was a bit of confusion among some officers regarding the Council’s policy on the use of animals in community-run events versus Council-run events and this wasn’t relayed properly to the organisers.
“The officer in charge has apologised sincerely, and I’m very pleased that everything has now been cleared up so the event can go ahead as planned.”
The event in 2021. (Image: Cllr Jamie Hodgkinson / Facebook )
The post earned over six hundred likes and two hundred comments. “Brilliant news. At least someone has seen common sense,” wrote Jimmy Bunting.
“Whichever councillor or official thought long and hard regarding the outpouring of anger from the people of Atherton. We will not be silenced, people power at its best.”
“Power to the people. Wigan forget how Atherton folk work. Brilliant,” wrote Sue Cooke.
Speaking about the strength of feeling behind the event, Brian said: “It’s the start of the Christmas celebrations for the town.
“It’s a big community event, whole families get involved to watch the parade and go to church afterwards – we get huge crowds.”
Brian, who hails from the Hag Fold area, was awarded a British Empire Medal in 2019 for his work running multiple community and youth groups in the town. He is still going strong at 81 – but says the Nativity event is a lot of work.
“You’ve got to make sure the children taking part are safe and organise 40 or 50 stewards to make sure traffic is kept at bay,” he said.
“You’ve got to building a stable, get the band together, inform all the schools, find a baby to play the part of Jesus. It’s a very unique event.
“All the local schools and pubs take part as well. If you don’t have that event, how can you start Christmas? I think that’s what has caused the upset.”