Emmanuel College in Gateshead has let the 220-seat venue to a local clergyman for the conference, flagged up on an “Answers in Genesis” website, as a major event. Creationists reject the theory of evolution and believe that everything originates from specific acts of God.

Australian Ken Ham is one of the three well-known creationists who will be speaking at the public meeting on March 9 and 10.

The move was defended by Nigel McQuoid, principal of the state-funded school, set up with backing from Christian philanthropists.

“I believe God created the world. I am not a scientist but my faith is that he created it from nothing and from what I see in nature it is difficult for me to believe that it could have been random and accidental.

“We present the Bible to the children and they decide for themselves whether or not to accept that or the other faiths that we teach.

“I will go to the wall to give children information to make informed decisions and I will stand out against any attempt at censorship.”

Pupils are taught about atheism, Islam and Eastern Mysticism as well as Christianity and are presented with alternative views for the origin of the universe and life.

But the booking was attacked by Richard Dawkins, the scientist at the forefront of the criticism of Government plans for more religious schools.

Professor Dawkins, the author of The Selfish Gene, said: “Creationists have a definite policy of targeting high prestige institutions. They hire a lecture hall from a great university such as Yale or Oxford, for propaganda reasons, and then exploit its international good name.”

Marilyn Mason, education officer of the British Humanist Association, said:

“Creation stories are not theories of evolution. They are stories, sometimes very beautiful stories containing metaphorical truths, but they should not be treated as serious hypotheses about the origins of the universe and life.”

Scourge of faith schools, 13