A Christian artist has claimed that she was reported to the police for saying, while making a cup of tea with a council employee, that it is harmful for children to try and change their sex.

It's been announced that Victoria Culf will now challenge how Watford Borough Council treated her after a discussion with their employee.

The 43-year-old said she was setting up an art exhibition at Watford Museum, when the employee revealed that her child was “socially transitioning” and that they had tried to get puberty blockers from the Tavistock gender identity clinic.

Ms Culf said she politely and sensitively disagreed, saying that because of her Christian beliefs and her experience working with children and young people, she believed “transitioning” is harmful.

She said they discussed the matter further and then the conversation ended calmly and amicably.

But the Christian Legal Centre, which is supporting Ms Culf, has claimed the employee posted on X that she had been subjected to a “transphobic rant” and the Watford Borough Council told the artist there had been allegations of “harassment”. She was not allowed to enter the exhibition without giving 24 hours' notice because the council had to safeguard the council worker.

The artist was allegedly told she was being investigated for a “hate crime” and that she needed to prepare a statement, but Hertfordshire Police later said no crime had been committed. Watford Borough Council said it had not reported her to the police.

The artist said she was also told her contract would have to be terminated because the council had banned her from the museum, making her project impractical.

Ms Culf said: "As a Christian, I feel that truth is a person and his name is Jesus. I feel it's very important to be truthful, even if it's slightly uncomfortable. And I don't think we beat people over the heads with our Bibles, but I think if you're pushed into a corner when you're making a cup of tea and someone tries to get you to go along with a really harmful ideology... I think it's right to gently say ‘no’.

"It was a casual conversation over a cup of tea, mother to mother, because she was really concerned about her child and was seeking to get support and advice for her from the Tavistock. So I just said, 'Look, I think transitioning, medical transitioning is quite permanent, because you can't get a tattoo before you're 18.' So I was trying to be thoughtful with her and I'm really surprised it's just gone the way it has. I'm not ramming it down anyone's throat, I was put upon by a crazy ideology, and asked to agree with it and as a parent, I just can't agree with it.

"I don't feel that the level of treatment I've received remotely reflects the actual conversation we had and that really bothers me. It's discrimination."

She has taken legal action against Watford Borough Council on the grounds of breach of contract, discrimination and harassment.

Watford Borough Council has declined to comment on the case.