PATRIOTIC villagers have been stopped from flying the Union flag on public occasions.

The parish council flagpole at Spofforth, near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, can no longer be used to hoist the flag because BT has installed a telegraph pole next to it.

Problems started when residents objected to the telegraph pole being built on a site opposite the village flagpole, in Castle Street.

BT decided to move it, but that sparked protests from the parish council because it has hemmed in the village's tradition of flying the flag. Residents said the pole was so close to the flagpole that flying the flag was impossible.

Parish council chairwoman Shirley Fawcett said: "When we asked BT to move their pole to a position outside the village hall, we did not expect them to erect it so we could not raise the flag.

"It has been a tradition for years in Spofforth that the Union flag is flown on occasions designated by the Lord Chancellor's office, mostly to mark Royal birthdays."

A spokesman for British Telecom said the company had not received a complaint about the issue from the parish council and that it would be happy to talk to them about the problem.

The spokesman said the relocated position was agreed with a parish council representative.

He said: "We put the pole where it was requested with all the necessary planning documentation. Subsequently, we have not heard from anyone to say there is a problem."

A spoksman for the parish council said it had written to BT to try to get the problem resolved, and said he hoped the matter could be resolved by moving the telegraph pole.