Boy gets Colorado town to overturn snowball fight ban

A nine-year-old boy from the town of Severance in Colorado has successfully campaigned for the repeal of an archaic ban on snowball fights.

The rule was part of an old ordinance outlawing the throwing of missiles, such as stones, at property or people within the town.

Dane Best says he took up the cause on behalf of his friends and classmates.

He delivered a presentation on the subject to a local town board, who backed his message on Monday night.

"The children of Severance want the opportunity to have a snowball fight like the rest of the world," Dane said during his three-minute presentation, the Greeley Tribune reports, external.

"The law was created many years ago. Today's kids need a reason to play outside."

His mum said he first learned of the technicality ban during a visit to the town hall of Severance, which is north of Denver.

Kyle Rietkerk, assistant to the Severance town administrator, said "all the kids always get blown away" when they find out was illegal to throw snowballs there, AP reports., external

"So, what ends up happening is [town leaders] always encourage the kids with, 'You have the power you can change the law'. No-one has," he said.

The law itself is thought to date back to the town's founding about 100 years ago, although no-one is believed to have been charged with the offence.

After the young campaigner's presentation, the result was unanimous from officials.

When the ban had officially ended, the town's mayor handed Dane and his four-year-old brother Dax the first legal snowballs in the town's history.

"We are proud of him for taking initiative to make some change, no matter how small it may be," Derrick Best, Dane's father, told CBS Denver, external.

The family are said to be now looking at the town's other unusual laws - including one that only recognises cats and dogs as pets.