Leeds Union probes hockey team's 'ill- judged chav party'

Members of the hockey team, dressed up for the party, were posted on Instagram

A "chav-themed" party held by a university hockey club is being investigated by a students' union after the University of Leeds described it as "ill-judged".

The women's hockey club at Leeds University Union held a "chav night" social last Wednesday.

The Tab website showed Instagram photos of women in tracksuits, drinking Lambrini and covered in fake tattoos.

The union said it had received complaints from a group of students.

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The Tab said the invitation to the evening, posted on the hockey team's closed Facebook group, told members to dress as "lower-class" people and included a dictionary definition of "chav" as "a young, lower-class person typified by brash and loutish behaviour".

It said the invitation read: "We educated fair maidens, studying in one of the countries [sic] grandest universities, would find such behaviour entirely alien".

Members were told to "set aside all they believed to be good, honest and noble" and "replace champagne flutes with cans of K cider".

A spokesperson from the students' union said the theme was "not acceptable" and the event was being investigated.

Clubs and societies commit to the LUU Social Guidelines, which say: "No matter where you are and what you are doing if there is a complaint about you or your club or society it will reflect badly on the university, LUU, your club or society and you".

The union is investigating the event following informal complaints

"We expect all our clubs and societies to run inclusive and accessible activities, including socials," it said.

"Where we become aware that this is not the case, as in this instance, we will investigate this with the organisers and take disciplinary action against individuals or clubs as appropriate.

"We are still investigating and determining what action should be taken."

The University of Leeds said the event was "ill-judged".

The hockey club has so far been unavailable for comment.

The University of Leeds is one of the UK's prestigious Russell Group research universities