19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Man gets revenge on neighbour who complains about Union Jack flag in garden
The 66-year-old initially flew a Union Jack flag in his garden as a 'tribute to his country' but took it down after he received a complaint from a neighbour. Now he's got petty revenge
A man who was forced to take a Union Jack flag down from his garden after a neighbour's complaint has got his own back.
'Market man' Colin, hoisted the flag out of love for his country but faced pressure to take it down after a neighbour lodged a complaint with the council.
When quizzed about the dispute, the bloke, who poses wearing a suit covered in Union Jacks on his TikTok profile, said: "It's what people do these days; they complain about everything."
The awkward situation quickly went viral online, which spurred Colin to take further action with a petty vendetta against the angry neighbour.
Refusing to back down, the 66-year-old bought a mammoth-sized Union Jack and hoisted it on a ridiculously tall flagpole for the world to see. A clip of him erecting the oversized flag has now amassed over a million views on TikTok, Lancs Live reports.
In the viral video, a woman can be heard sounding shocked as Colin puts the flag up. "It's gonna be too big Col. Oh my god," she warned, to which Colin wittily responded: "Well, I took this flag down because someone didn't like it. So I've only brought a bigger one, look."
He jokingly cautioned: "So if they complain again you know what I'm gonna do. I'll get an even bigger one."
In response, some TikTok commenters praised the move, with one writing: "Hoist that beautiful flag high. I salute the flag and you, sir" and another adding "You should be allowed to fly this country's flag, good on you mate."
Another social media user joked: "I'm going to complain that the flag pole isn't tall enough, you need to get a taller flagpole for the bigger Union Jack flag, so people further away can see it and appreciate it."
Meanwhile, someone else spotted: "Great but it's upside down, wide white stripe should be on top against the flag pole."
Colin has now started flogging Union Jack flags on TikTok shop after his video went viral.
It comes as households have been warned they could be slapped with a £2,500 fine if they break the rules around flying flags.
The government allows certain flags to be flown from rooftops of any size, provided they meet specific criteria. It stipulates all flags must be kept in a safe condition, reports Yorkshire Live.
You must also have the permission of the owner of the site on which they are displayed (this includes the Highway Authority if the sign is to be placed on highway land).
It must not obscure, or hinder the interpretation of official road, rail, waterway or aircraft signs, or otherwise make hazardous the use of these types of transport. It should be removed carefully where so required by the planning authority.
However, if you plan to fly the flag from a pole extending from any part of a building other than the roof, the rules become more stringent. The Town and Country Planning Regulations 2007 stipulate maximum sizes for flags flown on your house if they're on a pole, not on the roof.
The government adds: "The flag may not exceed 2 square metres in size. No restrictions on the size of characters. Consent is required if the flagpole is in a controlled area."
The flag has been at the forefront of conversation in recent days after a schoolgirl was placed in school isolation for wearing a Union Jack dress.
Courtney Wright, a high-achieving 12-year-old who attends Bilton School in Rugby, was left feeling "so embarrassed" after turning up to the planned cultural celebration on Friday to be told her union flag dress was "unacceptable".
Her family blasted the school after learning she had been segregated from her friends due to her choice of attire, adding that the straight A student "couldn't understand what she'd done wrong".
In response to the fury, the school apologised. A spokesman for Stowe Valley Trust said: "At Bilton School, we are proud of the diversity of our students and the rich heritage they bring to our community. We are committed to fostering an environment where every pupil feels respected, valued, and included.
"On Friday 11th July, an incident occurred during our Culture Celebration Day that caused considerable upset to one of our pupils, her family, and members of the wider community.
"We deeply regret the distress this has caused and offer our sincere and unreserved apologies. We have since spoken directly with the pupil and her family to listen to their concerns and reflect on how this could have been handled better.
"We are committed to learning from this experience and ensuring that every student feels recognised and supported when expressing pride in their heritage.
"As a school, we are reviewing our policies and strengthening staff training to ensure our practices reflect our values of inclusion, respect, and understanding for all."
