Boy, 11, sent home from school for Fifty Shades of Grey costume

Thousands of British students mark World Book Day by going to school in costume as their favourite fictional characters. But one 11-year-old found himself in a bind when he dressed as Christian Grey, the S&M-loving billionaire hero of erotic thriller 50 Shades of Grey.

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Teachers at Sale High School in northwestern England sent Liam Scholes home Thursday after deeming his suit, accessorized with cable ties and an eye mask, unacceptable.

The school said Friday that the decision "reflects the school's high standards in terms of student behavior, welfare and safeguarding." It said Liam returned once he had "modified" his costume.

Liam's mother, Nicola Scholes, defended the costume, saying children knew who Grey was from media coverage. She said Liam "walked into school yesterday and every child knew who he was."

In a tweet that garnered a lot of attention online, Scholes wrote, "Excluded from photos, told to change yet teacher dressed as a serial killer and others with guns?" beneath a photo of Liam wearing his costume. 

Scholes told the BBC the costume was "massively blown out of proportion" and said other pupils had dressed as James Bond and the title character from American Sniper.

"'It was meant as a laugh and tongue-in-cheek," she said. "Liam was advised to dress as James Bond... but [he] was a promiscuous character who kills people ... Personally, I'm more offended by a murderer."

Scholes stressed that her son had not read the book, which has sold more than 100 million copies around the world, or seen the steamy film adaptation.