The news comes in light of local education authority plans to discriminate against women in favour of men applying for teaching jobs. Almost 83 per cent of teachers in the area are female.

Councillor Lawrence said: "The only way you are going to put more men into the early years is to positively discriminate so you can get the balance up. But it also requires a subtle change in society to realise that actually men working with children is not something to be criticised", reports the Birmingham Post.

Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, it is unlawful for employers to discriminate on the grounds of sex.