School shuns 'hell' of a pupil

A Catholic school refused to enrol a five-year-old because his surname was Hell.

St Peter Apostle School in Melbourne suggested that Max Hell would only be admitted if he used his mother's maiden name.

His father initially agreed. But when it came to signing the enrolment forms Alex Hall decided to stand firm in defence of his family's name, reports The Times.

"We're quite devastated by the whole thing," Mr Hell, a Catholic father of three said. "So what if I've got a name like Hell? That's my family history and my name."

Mr Hell, 45, who is of Austrian heritage, said his surname meant light or bright in German. "It's 2007, not 1407 - it's not the Dark Ages."

The Hells approached St Peter Apostle School hoping to transfer their son from a state school, apparently because he was being bullied over his surname.

St Peter Apostle agreed it would to receive the boy on condition that he adopt his mother's maiden name of Wembridge.

After Mr Hell publicly complained about the school's refusal to enrol his son, the school later had a change of heart.

But Mr Hell, who said he he was also bullied because of his surname when he attended a Catholic school as a child, said he was now reluctant to consider a Catholic education for his children.

"I've had enough. I was ridiculed as a child... I want him to be accepted as Max Hell, but obviously he's not," he said.