Council in ban mix-up

But after they had taken the decision they found out it was never to be held in Craigavon in the first place.

Because of their never-on-a-Sunday stance the council voted against holding the World Water Skiing Championship.

But the day after their decision the British Water-Ski Federation revealed they had no intention of staging the event in Craigavon. They had already chosen a Canadian venue.

At the next council meeting Councillor Sean Hagan said there had been “acute embarrassment all round.”

And Councillor Bob McEvoy said that members had been ‘completely led up the garden path’ on the issue.

But Alderman George Willey said he voted on the issue fully aware that the championships were not scheduled for Craigavon in 1978.

“I voted in the context that if, and I say if, they were to be held in Craigavon on a Sunday I would oppose them. I didn’t think that for one moment that they were coming this year,” he explained.