ENTERTAINER Nadanja Bailey has been praised for intervening to save the feelings of young children on stage who were booed by members of a large audience even before they had started performing.

Ten and 11-year-old musicians from Warwick Academy were jeered when their school's name was announced at the Spring Into The Arts festival for preschool and primary school children.

As the stunned children waited behind the curtain, comedian Mr Bailey, who was master of ceremonies, halted the show and admonished the boo boys for their behaviour, as an audience including Premier Jennifer Smith looked on.

Warwick Academy head teacher Robert Lennox said he had been disappointed by the booing, but praised his students and Mr. Bailey.

"I wasn't there, but three people who were told me that the MC did a great job," said Mr. Lennox. "He acted very quickly and with great expertise and killed the situation pretty much as it happened.

"What I have discovered from others who were there is that the booing came from youngsters from other schools and no adults were involved. It was a small minority and you certainly can't blame the organisers at all.

"I'm disappointed about what happened. It's regrettable that public and private schools can't join together to do these things and be a good audience for each other.

"I'm pleased that the children coped so well. Kids are very resilient."

Mr. Lennox believed that the jeering might have been a result of anti-private school sentiments.

"At Warwick Academy, we have always prided ourselves on being fully integrated, so we found this very disappointing," said Mr. Lennox.

"It's very important from the island's point of view that we can all get together and share each other's talents."

Mr. Bailey said: "I said something to the effect of: 'I have introduced other schools and you have given them energy. Some of you are giving energy and some of you are not. I don't appreciate it and they don't appreciate it. You don't disrespect artists. These guys have worked really hard to perform for you tonight.'"

Mr. Bailey added that the boos were very noticeable. "I'm pretty sure it was only kids who were booing and not any of the adults. But if there were any adults they should be ashamed. You can give kids low self-esteem at a young age and we don't need that.

"A few of the kids did not want to play after they heard the boos. The music teacher from Warwick Academy thanked me for what I did and so did a few parents."

One witness, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: "The MC stopped everything and said that as an entertainer himself, he thought the booing was unacceptable.

"It was horrible. The kids were stunned. They're only ten and 11-year-olds. They weren't expecting anything like that. But when they played, they played stunningly well.

"There were a lot of adults as well as kids in the audience. It was impossible to tell who the booing element were. I have no idea why they booed."

Liz Tremblay, the music teacher at Warwick Academy Primary School who accompanied the children on stage, declined to comment on the rough reception the children had received.

But she did say: "My students performed on and off the stage in exemplary fashion."