A SECTION of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway’s annual Railway in Wartime event will not take place this year - for fear of causing offence.

The annual three-day event, now in its 26th year, traditionally sees each station on the line transformed to create a variety of scenarios and performances.

These include a wartime street in Pickering, Home Guard demonstrations at Goathland and an RAF-themed Grosmont with a replica Spitfire.

Levisham Station has previously been transformed into the German-occupied French village of “Le Visham”, which “portrayed the war from a German perspective in an educational and informative manner”.

However, NYMR will not be putting on the Levisham part of the display this year, owing to legislation around causing offence.

One of the re-enactors, who asked not to be named, said their role was bringing history alive for the public and educating people, particularly children.

“It’s like going into a museum, but a living museum,” he said. “We are historical educators of the public.

“We put our heart and soul into it - we’re all so disappointed.”

They added that hundreds of re-enactors may avoid the weekend in protest.

A spokesman for the NYMR said: “Expectations currently reflected in the recent Equalities Act mean that the charity must avoid causing offence to any section of the public.

“Due to the trust’s obligation to consider diversity and possible offence, careful consideration has been taken to decide whether it is right for the German re-enactment at Levisham Station to continue.

“The railway will now consult with the volunteers to deliver an alternative event that continues to educate passengers on the Second World War, with a focus on inclusion and fun for all the family.”

Neil Robertson, one of the re-enactors, said the board’s decision may have been influenced by an “uninformed and negative” article in a national newspaper last year.

He added: “Both the re-enactment community and the station volunteers are saddened by the board’s decision, but respect it.

“We would like to thank the thousands we have entertained and (hopefully) educated over the years and hope you all continue to support the show and contribute to its continued success.

“On behalf of the re-enactment community, I would like to formally thank NYMR and especially the volunteers of the Levisham Station group for their support over the last 12 years and wish them well for the future.”