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| Thorpe Park defends Halloween asylum attraction | Thorpe Park defends Halloween asylum attraction |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Calls have been made to shut down a Halloween attraction at a theme park because it stigmatises mental illness. | Calls have been made to shut down a Halloween attraction at a theme park because it stigmatises mental illness. |
| The Asylum has been part of Thorpe Park's annual Fright Nights for more than eight years. | |
| Campaigners say it stigmatises mental illnesses as it, features actors dressed as mental patients chasing people around an asylum. | Campaigners say it stigmatises mental illnesses as it, features actors dressed as mental patients chasing people around an asylum. |
| Thorpe Park said the attraction was not offensive, or a realistic portrayal of a mental health institution. | Thorpe Park said the attraction was not offensive, or a realistic portrayal of a mental health institution. |
| A petition - organised by Katie Sutton, a mental health nursing student at the University of Salford - has attracted more than 200 signatures. | A petition - organised by Katie Sutton, a mental health nursing student at the University of Salford - has attracted more than 200 signatures. |
| 'Absolutely horrified' | 'Absolutely horrified' |
| Miss Sutton said she first became aware of the maze through Twitter. | Miss Sutton said she first became aware of the maze through Twitter. |
| "Thorpe Park kept repeating to people that there weren't sufficient complaints. I thought if we can get actual forms of people bothered about it, then it might help." | "Thorpe Park kept repeating to people that there weren't sufficient complaints. I thought if we can get actual forms of people bothered about it, then it might help." |
| She said the matter had been discussed in one of her university classes and "everyone in the room was absolutely horrified". | She said the matter had been discussed in one of her university classes and "everyone in the room was absolutely horrified". |
| The charity Rethink Mental Illness has carried out a poll on Twitter to gauge people's views. | |
| Paul Jenkins, its chief executive officer, said: "While some people clearly feel very strongly about this, opinion has been mixed. | Paul Jenkins, its chief executive officer, said: "While some people clearly feel very strongly about this, opinion has been mixed. |
| "While of course there's nothing wrong with a bit of Halloween fun, explicit references to 'patients' crosses a line and reinforces damaging stereotypes about mental illness." | "While of course there's nothing wrong with a bit of Halloween fun, explicit references to 'patients' crosses a line and reinforces damaging stereotypes about mental illness." |
| 'Not universally representative' | 'Not universally representative' |
| In September, supermarket chains Tesco and Asda withdrew two Halloween outfits after they were criticised for stigmatising people with mental health issues. | In September, supermarket chains Tesco and Asda withdrew two Halloween outfits after they were criticised for stigmatising people with mental health issues. |
| Asda dropped its "mental patient fancy dress costume", and Tesco later withdrew its "psycho ward" outfit. | Asda dropped its "mental patient fancy dress costume", and Tesco later withdrew its "psycho ward" outfit. |
| In a statement, a Thorpe Park spokesman said the negative comments were not "universally representative". | In a statement, a Thorpe Park spokesman said the negative comments were not "universally representative". |
| "This is primarily a matter of context. The maze is not something you happen upon when out shopping," he said. | "This is primarily a matter of context. The maze is not something you happen upon when out shopping," he said. |
| "This maze is also in its eighth year of operation and is an obviously extreme and simulated experience which draws on classic horror film content. | "This maze is also in its eighth year of operation and is an obviously extreme and simulated experience which draws on classic horror film content. |
| "It is not intended, nor is it deemed to be by those who have actually experienced it, to be in any way offensive or to be a realistic portrayal of a mental health or indeed any other institution." | "It is not intended, nor is it deemed to be by those who have actually experienced it, to be in any way offensive or to be a realistic portrayal of a mental health or indeed any other institution." |