Safety warning as flags put up on lampposts

Union jack flags have been spotted on lampposts around the Tang Hall area of York

Concerns have been raised about the safety of people using ladders to place union jack flags on lampposts.

City of York Council said several flags have been seen going up along busy roads across the city in the past week.

Flags have been spotted at the top of lampposts in the Tang Hall area of York, but it is not known who put them there or how they were placed so high up.

Steve Wragg, head of highway asset management at the council, said the safety warning was "essential to protect people and vehicles below the lampposts".

He said: "The council is responsible for lampposts across the city, we maintain them and make sure they are effectively lit.

"We are extremely worried about people utilising ladders to access our lampposts as many of these lamp columns can be extremely high, up to 8m (26ft) tall, which could be higher than a two-storey building.

"Whenever we carry out maintenance work to lampposts, we use cherry picker machines and we never put any weight directly against the lamp column itself.

"We ensure the safety of the footpath, cycleway and highway users at all times through signage, fencing or diversions if necessary. Safety is vital."

St George's and union jack flags have been spotted elsewhere in the country in recent days, including in Birmingham, Hull, Worcester, Bradford, Newcastle and Norwich.

Groups responsible for putting up the flags in the West Midlands told the BBC they are motivated by pride and patriotism.

The flags are typically associated with national sporting occasions, such as World Cups, or patriotic events, such as remembrance days and royal occasions, but there are also concerns the flags are associated with the rise of far right demonstrations.

Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.