Campaigners have used cherry pickers to erect more than 40 UK flags along a stretch of a busy city road - a month after a council tried to take them down.

The defiant group have lined a half-mile stretch of West Boulevard, in Quinton, Birmingham, with flags from all four UK nations and Ireland.



They have been tied to 22 lampposts over the last couple of weeks as part of a flag-flying campaign dividing opinion across the nation.

Local group Weoley Warriors claimed responsibility for the patriotic decorations, branding it an act of 'national pride'.

They were previously left fuming after Birmingham City Council ordered St George's flags to be ripped down in Northfield area - but left Palestine ones flying.



Funded by nearly £22,000 in donations, the group are travelling the city with the "goal to show Birmingham and the rest of the country of how proud we are of our history, freedoms and achievements."

Over 44 of the flags were tied up along a half-a-mile stretch of the West Boulevard road in the western part of the city.

Resident Stephen Moore, 66, praised the sight, saying it was a win for national pride not racists.

The dad-of-two, who is a retired academic paper editor, said: "It was done recently because I jog around the road, it's only something that's happened in the last couple of weeks. "

"I have seen people with flags in a place called Northfield in Birmingham. They didn't have a company logo, they were just members of the public. They were putting them up by the Sainsburys. "

"On this road it goes on for a half-a-mile or so, it's quite a sight. There's flags up all over the place, people are hanging outside their houses too. That's more neighbours' than random people. "

"Most of them are put up by a group of people in the area."

"As far as I'm concerned the English flag, the St George's flag, was taken over by white racists, which is sad as it's an English flag and it shouldn't be associated with racists. "

"I think it's good, it's patriotic to see them all, I don't think it's racist. I think it's just national pride. You see French flags all the time in France. Whenever Trump comes on the news he's always got the USA flag with him. "

"I think the flags are a really good thing. I think it's very patriotic of whoever is doing it. The only negative thing is if the far right try to claim St George's flag, they shouldn't do that."

"St George's flag is for everyone in Britain, not just the far right. It's good that we're made to feel patriotic. It looks ok, it's different. We're coming up to winter anyway, so it's nice to have a bit of colour."

Facebook users praised the public display, with one person writing: "This is not about colour, race, religion, culture. It is about "identity" so all people can live in a community knowing people are safe."

Another said: "I see the flags as a statement to say we are all united, so may love and hate each other, yet these flags represent us all."

A third said: " I actually love driving this road with those flags up. Looks really good when there's wind blowing them."

Birmingham City Council has been approached for comment.