- .Alison Waldock, 51, apologised for mistake as soon as error was spotted
- .She said it was difficult to keep track of more than 40 students with different dietary requirements with the lists she was given
- .But despite 11 years working as a dinner lady, she was sacked by Queen Edith Primary School in Cambridge
Dinner lady: Alison Waldock, 51, has been sacked after forgetting the dietary requirements of a seven-year-old Muslim pupil and serving her gammon
A primary school dinner lady has been sacked for accidentally serving pork to a Muslim pupil.
Alison Waldock, 51, 'forgot' the seven-year-old dietary needs when she asked if the schoolgirl wanted gammon and the youngster said yes.
The school's headteacher spotted the mistake as the youngster was about to tuck into the meat and swept the plate away from her.
The girl's parents were then told how close their daughter had come to eating the meat, which is banned in their religion.
They complained to the school's catering firm and Ms Waldock, a dinner lady for 11 years, was suspended pending an investigation.
She insisted she had made an honest mistake and had simply lost track of all the dietary requirements of the children at Queen Edith Primary School in Cambridge.
But she was dismissed a month later for gross misconduct due to 'negligence, carelessness or idleness'.
Ms Waldock, a mother-of-two, said: 'I feel the school and catering company made me a scapegoat so they can't be seen as politically incorrect.
'I was really upset when I found out what I'd done. I'd never have done something like this on purpose. It was a simple mistake - I was so gutted with the school's reaction.
'I'm now too scared to take any similar catering jobs with the council.
'I don't think I will ever work as a dinner lady again. I don't want to go through all this again - it has been horrible.'
Ms Waldock, of Cambridge, added there were around 40 pupils with various dietary requirements and it was impossible to keep track of them with the lists she was given.
Dismissed: Ms Waldock claims there were around 40 pupils at Queen Edith Primary School in Cambridge with various dietary requirements and it was impossible to keep track of them with the lists she was given
British Muslim groups said Ms Waldock's sacking was 'heavy-handed' and an 'overreaction'.
Inayat Buglawala of campaign group Muslim4UK said: 'Mistakes occasionally happen. I'm sure the overwhelming majority of Muslim parents would be understanding.
'Dismissing a dinner lady for inadvertently serving pig meat is an overreaction.
'The most sensible way to rectify such mistakes is to improve awareness of the pupils' dietary requirements while apologising to the pupils and their parents.'
Ms Waldock said she immediately apologised after realising her error.
She said: 'I went out and apologised to the headteacher, who was obviously annoyed. I said I was sorry and that it was a mistake.
'A week later there was an investigation and I was told that the school did not want me on site.
A Muslim campaign group said that 'dismissing a dinner lady for inadvertently serving pig meat is an overreaction'
I was gobsmacked. I haven't been back since. I feel so let down by the school. I had worked there a long time. I just made a mistake and I am sorry.'
Lunchtime UK operations director Peter McAleese said: 'Anyone losing their job is regretful. But there was a full and transparent procedure that Alison went through - as well as an appeals procedure which she lost.'
A spokesperson for Lunchtime UK added: 'Following an incident involving Alison Waldock at one of our schools a full investigation was carried out prior to suspending her on full pay.
'A standard disciplinary procedure ensured which resulted in Alison Waldock being dismissed for gross misconduct.
'She was represented by the GMB union throughout the whole procedure and is now entitled to appeal through the tribunal system.'
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said: 'I feel desperately sorry for her. If she'd served gammon to a vegetarian would she have been fired? I think not.'
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