Lamp-post flags removed over safety fears

Flags have been removed across the resort

Dozens of union jacks and England flags hanging from lamp-posts in Blackpool have been removed as they were deemed a safety risk to motorists.

Contractors who look after street lighting used cranes to remove the flags as they do with anything unauthorised found during their inspections, Blackpool Council said.

Reform UK's Blackpool chairman Mark Butcher said 50 flags had been removed from near the party's pub in the town, describing the local authority's decision as "disgraceful".

Thousands of flags have been put up in towns and cities across the country in recent weeks.

An increasing number of Union flags have been flown across the country in recent weeks

Groups responsible for putting up the flags said they were motivated by pride and patriotism.

But others have said it feels provocative at a time when tensions are running high across England over the issue of immigration.

Previously, flags in parts of Birmingham have been taken down.

Commenting about the removal of flags in Blackpool, Mr Butcher said: "We put up a few around the pub and then ordinary people went up step ladders and put them on lamp-posts."

He said their removal was "awful - disgraceful".

"Other countries celebrate their nationality with putting up flags so why shouldn't we?," he said.

"I would never want anyone to feel unwelcome in this country but there's nothing wrong with showing off your flag."

The leader of Blackpool Council, Lynn Williams, said the Labour-run local authority had "a long-standing policy that nothing should be attached to lamp-posts, as they can also be a safety risk to traffic if they become loose".

She added: "It is also important to ensure that flags are flown to show pride in our country, and are not being used in a way to intimidate others."