THE new official flags of North and East Yorkshire are being flown over a Government office after communities, councils and clubs were given a guide to creating their own banners.

Guidance from the Flag Institute outlined how official flags can be designed and registered after the rules on flying them without official permission were relaxed by the Government to cut through red tape. The North Yorkshire flag was hoisted over Eland House, the London offices of the Department for Communities and Local Government, alongside the Union flag yesterday and the East Yorkshire flag will be flown there tomorrow.

Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said: “As a Yorkshireman, I’m delighted to see my compatriots are renewing their sense of local pride with these flags.

“The Flag Institute’s new guide will lead to many more local flags being designed and registered and I look forward to flying them on the streets of Whitehall.”

Fore more information about designing and registering flags, visit flaginstitute.org