Phil Moffatt says he is proud to celebrate St George's Day

Phil Moffatt has been told the 20 flags hoisted from lampposts near his shop in Tuebrook, Liverpool, are dangerous.

But Mr Moffatt, who named his shop after Winston Churchill, vowed to defy the ban with the bulldog spirit.

Meanwhile Stockport Council has refused to back market traders who want to hand out red roses on St George's Day.

'Proud Englishman'

Mr Moffatt, who has flown the flags from the same lampposts for the last five years, was ordered to remove them or face a �1,000 bill from Liverpool City Council.

"It has really come to something when a proud Englishman can't raise a few flags to celebrate St George's Day," he said.

"They have never caused any safety problems, and it seems to me that someone in the council is flexing their powers of political correctness.

"After all, Irish tricolours were flying from lampposts along Scotland Road and Vauxhall Road during St Patrick's Day."

'Safety hazard'

But a council spokesman said: "We are not trying to be spoilsports.

"There is a clear danger to Mr Moffatt himself and an obvious road safety hazard. The flags could distract drivers, fall off and hit cars or pedestrians and it could encourage others to follow suit."

In Stockport traders expected the council to contribute to the �1,000 cost of free red roses on Saturday.

The council refused saying it would look like support for the Labour Party, which has used the red rose as a symbol since the 1980s.

Trader Dave Young, who organised the celebration, said: "I feel very disappointed, I think every man and every woman should be able to wear the red rose."