Firm sees St George's and union jack flag sales jump

Lucas Spooner from Midland Flags said sales had been crazy

One of Britain's biggest online flag sellers said it has sold more than 50,000 St George's and union jack flags in a month.

That is between 10 and fifteen times more than Midland Flags in Stoke-on-Trent would normally sell in the same period.

Since the flag-raising phenomenon began at the start of August, many towns and cities have seen them flown from lamp-posts, bridges and painted on walls and roundabouts.

"To begin with, we didn't really know what was going on, just a really big uptick in St George's and union jack sales," said Lucas Spooner from the business.

Midland Flags said they have sold tens of thousands of St George and union jack flags

Demand was so great, that at one point they ran out.

It is mostly St George's and union jack flags, but sales of other country's flags, including the other home nations, have also risen.

"It has been crazy," said Mr Spooner.

Flags began appearing on clusters of lamp-posts this summer, some emerging overnight, growing in number, and, in some areas, well into four figures within the space of a mile or so.

As various local authorities of different political stripes argued the merits or lack thereof of the actions, the public had their say.

In locations such as Weoley Castle, Birmingham, where the phenomenon began in July, and, by August, street lighting accounted for a sequence of more than a thousand St George's Crosses, residents suggested the colours were a display of patriotism.

The flag-raising phenomenon began at the start of August

The flags spread to London, plus the north and south west of England, while in Weoley Castle, BBC analysis sought to establish who was driving the movement, finding that the banners may have more to say than national pride.

The decorating of streets was widely referenced by online groups, and in posts, as Operation Raise the Colours (ORC).

One group bearing that name, and one that has encouraged people to put up flags, is alleged to have accepted a donation from the far-right organisation Britain First, The Times reported.

'Stand up and be proud'

According to the research group Hope Not Hate, ORC was co-founded by Andrew Currien, otherwise known as Andy Saxon, who has allegedly had links with the English Defence League and Britain First. The group denies it is a far-right organisation.

In Knowle West in Bristol, two men who said they have put up hundreds of flags on streets near their homes said it was about being proud to be British.

"You've got to stand up and be proud, it is Great Britain for a reason," said one.

"When you look at the comments and negativity, it's all from white British people, not the foreigners we are supposed to be aiming at," said the second.

In Birmingham, Sabiha Aziz said the proliferation of flags sparks different reactions in people.

"For a lot of ethnic minorities, it is about checking in with how you are feeling when you're walking through an area that's saturated with flags," she said.

"And how it feels quite territorial, and actually doesn't feel patriotic."