A LIGHT-HEARTED speech by Redcar's Labour MP poking fun at her constituency has been criticised as being "ill-judged".

Vera Baird may have had her colleagues in Westminster laughing this week, but some in the town failed to see the funny side.

Speaking as part of the proceedings of the Queen's Speech, a traditionally light-hearted affair, the backbencher mocked a Redcar-born colleague's former school.

She said: "They were somewhat ahead of their time when, in his day, they searched you for guns and knives on the way in, and if you didn't have any, they gave you some.

"I would not say it was a tough school, but they did appoint their own coroner."

However, Stephen Kay, the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council cabinet member for education, said: "I cannot understand why she has said it.

"I know that these comments were made in a jocular manner, but I feel on this occasion, the remarks were very ill-judged.

"To do this on a national platform and make fun of the people she represents is not called for, and gives people the complete wrong impression of the town.

"I really cannot understand why she did it, because there are certainly much rougher schools across the country than there are in Redcar."

Rye Hills Comprehensive headteacher Hamish Joyce declined to comment on the speech, but said: "She has been very supportive of this school and of education in Redcar. What she says in Parliament is her own business."

Local people were less forgiving. Pensioner Ena Garbutt said: "That is a wrong thing to say. Even said as a joke, it is in really bad taste and I cannot understand why she had to say those things."

Student Tony Nicholls said: "I know it was only meant to be a joke, but I do not think parents whose children have been attacked at school would find it funny - I know I don't."

Ms Baird who, during the speech, said: "My constituents, please note, these are jokes," declined to comment.