Seaside Punch and Judy shows 'are dying out'

Paul Douglas has been a Punch and Judy "professor" for more than 60 years

The seaside tradition of Punch and Judy shows is "dying out," a veteran performer has said.

The puppet shows have been a feature of English culture since the 17th century and were once a fixture on beaches up and down the coast.

But the shows have proven controversial in recent years amid suggestions that the use of slapstick violence makes light of domestic abuse.

Lincolnshire-based Paul Douglas, who has been a "professor", as the puppeteers are known, for 61 years, said there was no one to take over when he retired.

"There's nobody who wants to do it," said Mr Douglas, from the resort of Mablethorpe. "Same as the donkeys, any sort of traditional thing."

"I think [the tradition is] going to go."

Mr Punch has his roots in 17th-century Italian theatre

Characters include Mr Punch, his wife Judy, their baby, a crocodile and a police officer. The shows have been controversial as Punch hits the other characters with a stick.

Last year, Mr Douglas had been due to perform at a coronation gala in Saltfleetby, but his show was cancelled because of concerns the act was "inappropriate".

Some modern versions of Punch and Judy have sought to subvert the traditional roles of male and female characters, while others have emphasised how the anarchic Mr Punch pokes fun at the establishment.

However, Mr Douglas said he did not think his seaside show promoted domestic abuse.

"Mr Punch I've compared with Tom and Jerry," he added. "It's slapstick humour."

Speaking after Mr Douglas's coronation show was cancelled last year, Clive Chandler, from the Punch and Judy College of Professors, said the tradition remained "widely popular".

And while he has performed fewer shows over the past year because of health issues, Mr Douglas said he hoped to be back on Mablethorpe prom next summer.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.