Roundabout flag painters 'may want confrontation'

Some people who daubed St George's flags on roundabouts may be "seeking confrontation", Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has said.

Several road junctions in Sale have had a red cross painted on them so as to resemble the flag, a move Trafford Council has condemned as a road safety risk.

St George's flags have recently appeared on roads across England, with those responsible telling the BBC they were motivated by pride and patriotism.

But Burnham said he felt that while anyone should be free to fly the flag on their own property, creating public displays was "like people are seeking confrontation and seeking, I don't know what they're seeking".

Red crosses appeared on mini-roundabouts in Birmingham last weekend

Speaking on BBC Radio Manchester, the former Labour cabinet member, who described himself "as patriotic as anybody", said: "I don't think you need to start going out painting your community.

"You can obviously display a flag if that's your choice but I don't know, I do wonder about the times we're living in.

"If people want to display it, fine on their own property, but I don't think you've got the right to go out and paint public property."

Burnham said: "I just think the world's gone a bit mad sometimes when I look on social media, and I don't know what people are trying to do sometimes.

"We should all just chill out a little bit more, enjoy Oasis, enjoy the summer."

'Proud symbol'

The mayor also raised safety concerns.

"There are reasons why roads and traffic markings have to be a certain way... you could confuse somebody... who was driving to that roundabout," said Burnham.

Red crosses have also been painted on roundabouts in the West Midlands, prompting police to investigate.

Trafford Council said its roundabouts were painted with special white paint for safety reasons.

The red lines would have to be jet-washed off or need a "costly repainting job", a spokesperson for the local authority said.

"The flag of St George is a proud symbol of our national heritage but people painting on roundabouts in the middle of the road are putting themselves and motorists at risk of serious injury," added the spokesperson.