Kirstie Allsopp under fire after letting 15-year-old interrail across Europe for three weeks over summer By Meg Byrom Published: 22:15, 20 August 2024 | Updated: 22:20, 20 August 2024 e-mail 3 View comments Kirstie Allsopp found herself under fire last night after she allowed her 15-year-old son to go interrailing across Europe. The TV presenter revealed on social media that her youngest son Oscar Hercules was returning home after three-weeks of travel across the continent, alongside a 16-year-old friend. However, some users claimed that the 52-year-old's child was too young to be travelling around the continent without adult supervision.
One told the mother-of-two on X, formerly Twitter , that 'if things had gone wrong, you would have taken responsibility and never forgiven yourself'. Another added: 'You can't wrap them up in cotton wool but it can be a dangerous world and 15 is not mature enough for all encounters.' TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp defended her 15-year-old son's unsupervised interrailing trip around Europe because he planned the route himself Ms Allsopp defended Oscar Hercules, who turned 16 today, saying that he and his friend independently organised the nine-stop trip around Europe.
She wrote: 'For obvious budget reasons interrailing isn't on the cards for everyone, but in this increasingly risk-averse world it's vital that we find any ways we can to give our children the confidence that only comes from trusting them.' The Location, Location, Location presenter added that 'if we're afraid our children will also be afraid, if we let go, they will fly'. Ms Allsopp, who also has 18-year-old Bay Atlas with Ben Anderson, also came under criticism from those claiming that she would not let a 15-year-old daughter take part in the same trip.
However, Ms Allsopp said she had travelled at the same age, adding that 'sexual assault is far more likely to come from someone you know than a stranger and boys are more likely to have a violent interaction with a stranger than girls'. There is no minimum age for teenagers to go Interrailing, although the European network says that it requires written consent for minors to travel without their parents. The Mail has approached Ms Allsopp's representatives for comment.
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