Release date: 18.09.07
Ref: BBC/PR/R&D/26/07

Graham Coates, aged eight from Tweedmouth, was so upset that there was only one flag flying when he came across the border into England, that he came into Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council offices to ask why.

When Head of Regeneration Tim Kirton, who was already working with Northumbria Tourism to get new flags, heard about this he invited Graham to come along to the crossing and hoist the new flags.

Tim Kirton said:
“Graham is right, there should be the same number of flags on each side of the road, and we are just as frustrated as everyone else that there are fewer flags on the English side of the crossing, but they regularly get stolen and in the storms earlier this year the flags blew away and one flagpole was damaged beyond repair.

“We’ve been working with the Highways Agency, their agents A-One Ltd and Northumbria Tourism to get new flags and weights so that it is clear to anyone who is travelling south on the A1 that they have now entered England,” he said.

The Council is working with A-One to produce a major improvement scheme in 2008 to reflect the work undertaken on the northbound side last year.