Parents' fury after schoolchildren living in town popular with eastern European migrants are taught song in Lithuanian Pupils at a Wisbech primary school taught song for a singing festival Third of children at Peckover Primary are from migrant backgrounds Parents claim children in tears because they did not understand song 'Inclusive' festival will also see youngsters singing a Polish tune Angry parents have launched a protest over a primary school's plans to make their children sing songs in Lithuanian and Polish. A third of pupils at the Peckover Primary School in Wisbech - a Cambridgeshire town popular with eastern European families - are from migrant backgrounds, but some parents claim their children came home in floods of tears because they did not understand the words to the songs. Children were being taught the lyrics for an upcoming international singing festival, but mother Clare Eve, 48, who has launched a petition in protest, said: 'The whole school is getting taken over by these cultures and I don't think it's right.' Anger: Parents including Clare Eve, left, and Tamara Meldrum, right, are protesting against their children being made to sing a song in Lithuanian at their primary school in Wisbech 'Multi-cultural': A third of the students at the Peckover School, which is in a town popular with eastern Europeans, are from migrant families A total of 23 parents have signed Ms Eve's petition protesting at the content of the 'inclusive' festival, due to take place next week at Peckover's new theatre. The parents backing the campaign insist their objections to the foreign lyrics are not racist, and say they have a right to complain if their children are upset. 'It's being forced on our children,' Ms Eve said. 'They're only eight-years-old - it's a struggle to learn their own language let alone goodness knows what else. When I saw the song list I could not believe it. My son brought the song list home when he wasn't supposed to,' she claimed. 'The school hadn't actually told anybody the true meaning of what the children were doing. 'Children don't know what they are singing about but if we complain we are accused of being racist, and yet this isn't the case,' said Ms Eve, who said she was 'all for' children learning languages. 'My little girl goes to German club,' she said. If your child is upset then surely you have the right for freedom of speech to voice your opinion. 'It's happening all the time - at Christmas a nearby infants' school had their nativity play in a foreign language. The parents said it was like being in another country. 'We don't want that here 'I wouldn't have objected if all the Lithuanian kids had sung a Lithuanian song and all the Polish kids sung a Polish song. That would have been different,' said the 48-year-old, who has two children, Alfie, nine, and Libby, eight. Tamara Meldrum, who also has a child at the primary school, said: 'They're not even teaching them what it means, at least that would make some sense, but as it stands the children have no idea why they are being forced to do it.' Complaints: Tamara's son Adam Meldrum, seen left with his friend Alfie Wakefield, holds up a copy of the Lithuanian song lyrics Peckover sent a letter home to parents inviting them to the festival, which will also see children don the national dress of countries including Germany and Greece, on July 15. The headteacher last week asked for parents" support at the 'pioneering' International Singing Festival. 'Not right': Clare Eve said the school was being 'taken over' by other cultures The letter read: 'We are all very excited to hold this event, which has been made possible by a grant from the Cambridge Culture Project Funding, for which we had managed to secure the funds. It will be a wonderful occasion, enabling the children to perform the songs that they have enjoyed learning and singing in English and other languages, representative of children at our school. 'We really hope you will support us in this pioneering event,' it said. Today the school said pupils had been taught the meaning of the Lithuanian song and that children would not be forced to take part if parents objected. A spokesperson said: 'The children have spent time learning the words and understanding what they mean with the help of our excellent teaching staff and language and music specialists. We have made sure that children understand what they are singing about and that they learn to appreciate other cultures. Children have been keen and enthusiastic to take part in this inclusive community event. We have made alternative arrangements for pupils of parents not wishing their child to take part in the concert to remain at Peckover Primary school, for the hour during which the concert takes place. Inclusive: The primary school said the festival had been organised as part of teaching children to appreciate other cultures Show Racism the Red Card, an anti-racism educational charity, backed the singing festival. A spokesman said: 'We believe that there is tremendous value in celebrating multiculturalism and diversity in schools. We accept that the Lithuanian language may present a challenge to some young people; however we are sure that the focus of the teachers is to encourage participation rather than linguistic accuracy. English will be represented at the singing festival by the song Do Re Mi from The Sound of Music.