SCOTTISH pupils are at risk from the teaching of young earth creationism, campaigners have warned.

The Scottish Secular Society (SSS) said the next incident was "just around the corner".

The warning came after SSS calls for an official ban on the teaching of young earth creationism in science lessons was rejected by MSPs.

Politicians from across the political spectrum agreed it was unnecessary for the Scottish Government to introduce new guidance on the issue because such teaching was not part of the curriculum and there was no evidence it was being taught.

Instead, MSPs from the Scottish Parliament's education committee said schools should rely on the professionalism of teachers and the existing inspection regime to ensure such theories were not expressed as scientific fact.

Spencer Fildes, chairman of the SSS said: "We will remain vigilant and will not hesitate to forward on any further information and activity our members submit where creationist teaching is to be found. If recent submissions by our members is anything to go by, the next one is just around the corner."

Last year, the SSS urged ministers to bar the "presentation" of young earth doctrines as viable alternatives to the established science of evolution in the classroom.

The SSS lodged the petition after claiming schools were being subjected to an "attack" on established scientific theories from imported US doctrines known as creation science and intelligent design.

Creationists believes the story of Genesis to be literal fact, including the idea that the earth was created in seven days. To account for fossils, creationists claim that dinosaurs shared the earth with humankind.

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the British Humanist Association (BHA) have sent a free copy of The Young Atheist's Handbook: Lessons for Living a Good Life without God to every secondary school in Scotland.

The book, which was sent direct to school librarians, was written by science teacher Alom Shaha and tells the story of his upbringing in a Bangladeshi Muslim community in South East London.

Andrew Copson, BHA chief executive, said: "We couldn't be happier that young people in Scotland will now have access to this wonderful book."

However, Rev David Robertson, Free Church Moderator-elect, attacked the move saying: "It is a classic example of the arrogance and intolerance of the new fundamentalist atheists who do not want any religion or philosophy taught in Scottish schools, except their own."