Locals puzzled by flags in hanging basket row town

Sue Unwin said because the flags were hung near Chatteris in Bloom's hanging baskets some people had thought members had affixed them, but they had not

Residents in a town that was at the centre of a safety row over its hanging baskets have been left puzzled after flags appeared on the same lamp-posts.

Chatteris made headlines last year when its local floristry group had a dispute with Cambridgeshire County Council, which told it to hire a contractor or attend a £165 safety course to continue putting up displays on its streetlights.

President of Chatteris in Bloom, Sue Unwin, said she had no problem with the dozen or so union jack and St George's flags hung off the same streetlights, but questioned why they had not gone through a similar process.

The council said the flags could be a safety issue and would be removed.

Various flags have been put up around Chatteris close to the local In Bloom's baskets

Following the row over the hanging baskets, a volunteer who helps with the town's Christmas lights decided to break the deadlock with the council and take the course, so residents could enjoy the floral displays once more.

At the time, the council said because the streetlights were directly connected to the power grid it needed to ensure "essential independent safety training" was completed "for everyone's wellbeing".

Union jack flags and St George flags have been going up in towns and cities across the country since mid-July.

Many have become associated with protests against the housing of asylum seekers in hotels and people arriving in the UK on small boats.

For many, the flags are simply an expression of patriotic pride, but others have expressed unease and found them provocative, with tensions running high over immigration.

Ms Unwin is a founding member of Chatteris in Bloom, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary and ninth gold in the Anglia in Bloom competition.

She said this season's hanging baskets would be coming down in the next few weeks, but was unsure what would happen to the flags.

She added that because they were hung near the group's baskets some people believed members had put them up, but they had not.

"We always require public liability insurance, a risk assessment and a licence to use the street lighting to place 40 hanging baskets on 20 heritage lamp-posts," she said.

Tina Prior, 49, believed it was unfair the flags had been hung without permission being sought

Local resident and former In Bloom member, Tina Prior, said when she first saw the flags, she immediately wondered how it had been done.

"I know that Chatteris in Bloom had to jump through all manner of hoops to attach their hanging baskets to the street lighting," she said.

She added it "does not seem fair" on the floral group or the Christmas lights committee "when flags are hung without any clearance".

Trevor Colebrooke, 81, said he thought if the lamp-posts had been safety checked there would be no issues in hanging flags from them

Resident Trevor Colebrooke said he did not think the flags were in any way a danger to anyone.

He went on to say that the most dangerous part must have been using a very tall ladder to access the high point of the street lighting.

Sarah Dunsmore, 54, said no-one knew who put up the flags

Sarah Dunsmore said she remembered the hanging baskets saga well.

"It is not fair on Chatteris in Bloom that the flags were put up without permission," she said.

Ms Dunsmore added that no-one knew who had attached the flags and presumed they had been affixed in the dark of night.

"It must have been some size of ladder to get the flags so high in the first place," she said.

Chatteris in Bloom was told to take a £165 safety course or hire a contractor to place hanging baskets on street lights

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: "Our highways team follow a standard process when things are placed on our highways.

"They [the flags] are considered as damage or could be a safety issue, so will be removed."