Dad in gorilla suit picks daughter up from school before 'snotty' text from teachers

Chris Napthine, 47, donned the gorilla suit to meet his daughter, Addie, outside Hertford Vale C Of E Primary School, in the village of Staxton, North Yorks, on Friday

Adam Cailler Senior reporter and MSN lead

10:31, 21 Jul 2025Updated 13:36, 21 Jul 2025

They were only monkeying around(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)

A father who sported a gorilla costume to surprise his daughter on her final day of school was taken aback when the "woke" institution labelled his antics as "a serious safeguarding concern".

Chris Napthine, 47, donned the great ape attire to greet his daughter, Addie, on Friday, only to be left dumbfounded by a stern text message he received later.

The self-employed horse dentist and farmer, who visited Hertford Vale C Of E Primary School in the village of Staxton, North Yorks, has since dismissed the school's reaction as "ridiculous". On seven-year-old Addie's last day of Year 2, Mr Napthine decided to wear the gorilla suit for a bit of amusement.

[He got a 'woke' text]

He got a 'woke' text

The father-of-two explained: "It's a little village school and I live just opposite it. went there, my son went there and now my little girl does. I was just trying to embarrass her. She's always saying, 'Dad, please don't embarrass me'.

"The other day I put a horse's head on, so on the last day of school I put on a gorilla outfit. Then, I got this snotty text off the school, saying it's a 'serious safeguarding issue'."

[SWNS_GORILLA_DAD_002_084159.jpg]

Nout wrong with that

The text message shared by Mr Napthine read: "Please do not come into school in a costume or mask. This is a serious safeguarding issue. It has also upset some of the children & caused concern for adults."

However, Mr Napthine defended his prank, criticising the school for its "woke" stance. He questioned: "How is that a safeguarding issue? Where is it going to end? Are the kids not going to be allowed to dress up?".

[It was just a prank]

It was just a prank

"I really didn't like the way they worded it. I was just trying to have a bit of a laugh, but the school have taken it dead serious.

"I messaged them back, but they didn't reply. I just thought it was ridiculous. Safeguarding is about the safety of the kids.

[He's hit back]

He's hit back

"A dad in a gorilla outfit is not a safeguarding issue - let alone a 'serious' one. It's taking the p***. I've had lots of messages of support, saying: 'What on Earth is this country coming to? A kid can identify as a cat but a dad can't dress up as a gorilla'.

"That's what dads do: embarrass their daughters. I'm always playing jokes and messing about. It's just a bit woke."

[He did the same with a horse mask previously]

He did the same with a horse mask previously(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)

Paul Bradbury, Chair of the Board of Governors at Hertford Vale Church of England Primary School, said: Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our pupils is not only our commitment but is a statutory responsibility for all schools. A key part of this is knowing who is on the school premises at all times.

Parents and carers place their trust in us to safeguard their children, and it is essential that we uphold that trust by ensuring all visitors are clearly identifiable and behave in a way that supports a calm and safe learning environment. We are sure people will agree thats not possible when someone is wearing a full gorilla suit.

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Thats why we have asked the parent involved not to do this again and been clear that while some children may have been entertained, some were frightened, and our staff could not identify an adult on site looking through windows.

We remain committed to creating a safe, supportive, and respectful environment for all pupils, staff, and visitors.

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