Bunting tradition is axed over health and safety rules

Health and safety rules have stopped villagers from flying bunting at their annual festival. The tiny flags had fluttered safely over the historic high street in Hatfield Broad Oak in Essex for more than 100 years.

But after a busybody complained about the practice, health and safety jobsworths pounced. Bemused locals in the Essex village were handed six pages of rules for permission to hang 20 lines of flags. Essex Highways insisted organisers use fixed points on buildings and "tolerancetested steel eyebolts".

Bemused festival bosses decided it was impractical - and banned bunting flying over the street for the event which climaxes today. Janet Pugh, from the festival committee said: "All we wanted to do is put up a little bunting to celebrate our festival week which raises cash for the church."



Businessman Leigh Trevitt, 40, added: "The village is angry. A lot of people said we should go ahead and let Highways take us all to court but some organisers are elderly and scared of the bullies.

"The conditions are impossible. Many houses are listed so we couldn't get planning permission to put stainless steel bolts on them. And we couldn't afford professional installation."

The tradition dates to at least 1907 when a photo shows the town band beneath bunting. Essex Highways said: "We sympathise with organisers of community events but guidelines have been set down after events where people have been injured."

Photo from here.